That Fateful Night
by Marcipie
Summary: When a late night investigation into an old abandoned house turns into a crazy adventure, Renee meets two characters she thought she'd never come across. R&R Rating may change later on!
1. Haunted House

**That Fateful Night**

**By The Sole Survivor**

**Chapter 1 – Haunted House  
----**  
"Are you honestly gonna go through with this?" A voice protested softly behind her. The one in front rolled her eyes upward as if asking for heavenly guidance and blew the hair out of her face before turning around to face her friend.

"Yes! If I don't do this, then I'll be named the laughing stock of the entire 12th grade and maybe even the entire school!" Renee Maxell shouted as her arms rose above her head for emphasis before she realized her mistake and hurriedly slapped her palm over her mouth with wide eyes. Her friend in crime, Alexandra Emberwood, gazed at her through half-lidded eyes and crossed her arms.

"Why do you even care about what they think?" She asked skeptically, watching amusedly as Ren flushed slightly in the dark and folded her hands together sheepishly.

"Well..." She mumbled and winced when Alex groaned and turned to leave. "Wait, Alex! You have to help me with this! You're my only witness!"

"You know what, I'm suddenly hungry. How about we don't and say we did and go eat?" Alexandra asked hopefully. Ren raised an eyebrow and her head tilted to the side.

"Are you seriously thinking about lying?" She asked then sighed and hung her head when Alex merely nodded as if it were the most practical thing to do.

"Come on, Ren, you can't really want to do this. This isn't your thing." Alex muttered under her breath as she eyed the strange house before them. Renee saw her gaze and turned her head to glance at the dark house too before she rolled her eyes.

"Sure you're not just scared?" She grinned when Alex turned to her with a very sardonic glare on her face.

"Oh yes, I'm absolutely terrified. Oh please, somebody please help me." She waved her hands in mock-terror before rolling her eyes with a grin. "I was just saying this isn't something you normally wanna do on a daily basis, but go ahead in if you want to. I'll wait here." Alex snickered as she watched Renee's stunned expression.

"You'd really let me go in there alone?" Renee asked weakly. A sly smirk crossed Alex's face.

"Sure you're not the one who's nervous?"

Alexandra's grin turned devious while Renee blinked slowly and gulped silently, her voice squeaking pathetically. "No?"

Alex rolled her eyes. "You fail horribly at being brave."

"Well I don't see you waltzing up there, hot shot!" Ren whispered harshly at Alex.

"Well, for one, I'm not an idiot like some people and two, I don't like dark abandoned houses."

"Right, you're just here for the free ride home."

"Shut up and get going. The sooner you're done, the sooner we get outta here."

"You're terrible." Renee grumbled as she stood and began creeping up the walkway to the door.

Ren slowly approached the house. She eyed it warily and shivered slightly as a cold wind blew through the folds of her clothes. She pulled her jacket around her tighter before stretching out her leg to tap it on the first stair on the porch in caution. When nothing happened, she extended her other leg to cover the rest of the stairs to the flat expanse of the dark porch.

She gulped as she gazed at the old wooden door of the house. Her instructions were to just go inside and look around. Her classmates didn't say for how long. Renee took a deep breath and squared her shoulders, puffing out her cheeks as she marched over to the door. She hesitantly reached out and grasped the rusted door knob gently, shaking it to test its durability just in case she should need to leave in a hurry.

"Come on, you can do this." She muttered to herself in encouragement and breathed in quickly, twisting her wrist in one fluid motion and pushing open the door. It creaked horribly as it traveled across the floor into the shadows of the house, sounding as if it hasn't been moved for decades. She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. She wanted nothing more than to flee to her nice, safe room in her brightly lit home.

Taking a few more deep breaths to calm her racing heart, she stepped quietly into the room, wincing when the old wooden floors squeaked from the pressure. Tiptoeing carefully into what she assumed was the living room; she paused to get a good look at her dark surroundings. Dust coated everything in sight, making her wince and cover her nose. "Okay, my allergies tell me that should be enough surveying." She told the empty room in a somewhat scratchy voice. Smiling at her bravery, she turned around and prepared to leave when she felt a sudden chill. She gasped and huddled up inside her coat. "Okay, fun times over." She mumbled quickly and scurried to the door, but was abruptly cut off when the door suddenly slammed shut in her face.

Startled, Renee leaped backwards, tripping over her heels and landing hard on her back. She sat frozen on the floor for a moment before darting her eyes around her nervously. "Um…I'm guessing I'm not exactly supposed to be in here, am I?" Her voice echoed in the dark room.

Outside the house, Alexandra puffed her cheeks out in impatience. "What is taking that woman so long?"

Suddenly, a loud slam echoed throughout the quiet neighborhood. Alex paused for a second, her eyes wide and then she turned slowly to face it. Her head tilted slightly and she stood, half-crawling to the door to get a better look. "Renee? Are you still in there?" She asked as she glanced inside the windows of the house cautiously. The dark house was starting to send shivers down her spine. Any moment she suspected the house to come alive and chase her down the road with the intent on eating her. Shaking that thought away, she gradually made her way up the porch stairs making sure not to make any sudden moves. When she approached the door, she pressed her ear against it to listen. Even through the wood she could hear Renee talking nervously to herself. Alex rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"That bonehead…" She mumbled and knocked on the door. "Renee?" She jiggled the handle and frowned when it wouldn't even budge.

Back inside the house, Renee winced and tenderly touched the bottom of her back, not hearing Alex in the least. "Must've sprained something back there..." She took a deep breath. "Okay, calm down. It was just the wind. Maybe this is a warning to not go near any creepy old houses at night." She told herself, standing up carefully and brushing off the back of her jeans to rid them of any dust. Ren sighed and turned around to face the hallway that led into the rest of the house. "Alright, seeing as I can't get out I might as well explore some more." She murmured half-heartedly and curled her arms around herself, taking small steps.

"Renee!" Alex shouted again from the other side of the door. "I know she can hear me!" Slamming her fists on the door a final time, she whirled away and crossed her arms while glaring heatedly out in the street. "She can get lost in there for all I care! She's flipping ignoring me!" Stomping down the stairs, her steam ran out as she began to leave, her glare loosening. Alex paused for a few minutes before flinging herself back up the stairs and repeatedly banging on the door frantically. "RENEE! You better not die in there! You're my ride home!"

Back inside, the house echoed strange noises Renee didn't like one bit. From what she could tell, the house was an old Victorian type with old stylish carvings into the paneling. The floors looked real expensive through the fine layer of dust covering it. Pulling her jacket's sleeves over her hands, she covered her mouth and nose with them as her blue eyes trailed over the walls and the ceiling where she could see a couple of antique chandeliers and paintings. Then in the distance, her wandering eyes caught something out of the ordinary.

"What's this?" She asked no one in particular and crossed the room to stand in front of the strange object. It looked like a crystal ball on a velvet covered table, like a fortune teller would have. Ren looked around once before kneeling before the bizarre stone, her hands falling away from her face. "I wonder what they used this for..." She murmured and reached out to run a finger down the side of the sphere, her finger collecting the dust and making a clear streak on the stone. As if on cue, the crystal ball abruptly radiated a bright silver-ish blue and levitated in the air before her. She gasped and backed up quickly in sudden fright. Her eyes widened when it floated toward her slowly and just when she was about to turn and flee like the devil was at her heels, the crystal ball spoke.

"Welcome, young human. Since you have awakened me from my sleep, you may have one wish. What is your deepest desire?" It asked in an unfathomable echo-y voice, sounding suspiciously like James Earl Jones. Renee paled considerably as she gazed reluctantly at the odd, deep-voiced levitating stone. What was this thing? She glanced around herself and took another step back, her eyes guarded.

"Look, buddy, I- I don't know what you're t- talking about! What do you mean by a wish?" She stuttered. The crystal ball swirled with colors inside of it, finally seeming to choose a deep forest green color. It hovered closer to her and almost instantly she felt a pull in her mind, like someone was trying to look inside of her, look at every thought she'd ever come across in her head.

It was a very uncomfortable yet a somewhat soothing feeling, but nonetheless she was disturbed by the power of this thing. Renee tried to break the hold but she was trapped. The crystal ball drew close enough that she could feel the warmth of it on her forehead. She gulped in panic. Was this thing trying to eat her brain? "H-hey, what are you trying to do?" She was cut off when the stone suddenly glided backwards and emitted a bright blue once again. It dropped instantly to its original position on the fortune teller's table, a large crack splitting up the side of it, the glow of colors fading slowly.

"Deepest desire found. Renee Maxell, prepare yourself for your… odd gift." It uttered in a low voice before going silent. Renee gaped at the rock in shock.

"Wait, what do you mean by that? Hello, deep-voiced stone that sounds an awful lot like Darth Vader? Are you alive?" She shouted at it, but trailed off when a huge black hole appeared in the ceiling in a gust of wind. Renee stared at it wide-eyed before glancing at the cracked crystal ball then back at the rotating hole of doom. She was frozen in panic for a few seconds before she turned and bolted for the nearest door she could find. Whatever that thing was bringing her, she really didn't want to stick around to find out, even if it was something that was supposedly her deepest desire. Finding a hallway closet, she slammed into it and jerked hastily on the handle, growing more frustrated when it wouldn't budge. After a beat, she paused.

The James stone said it was a gift. That was a good thing, right? She tried to think of anything that she would want more than anything else. The only thing she could think of was a game system or possibly some character coming to life out of a show she watched.

Suddenly a dull sounding thump was heard in the area she once was and soft groans of pain were heard thereafter. Darth Vader must've dropped off her 'gift'. She slowly loosened her death grip on the handle and walked carefully back into the room, her eyes roaming around the room in a frenzy. "Hey! Is anybody… or thing in here?" She called as she tried to clear the air of the dust. Coughing, she waved the air around her head before freezing on the spot, her eyes widening beyond normal circumstances.

What she saw terrified her, but at the same time, she felt warm inside. What was lying on the carpet in the middle of the room was a two-headed animal, golden in color with orange-brown spots. "Well, it's certainly not anything game-like." She murmured. As she crept closer she saw one end of it appeared to be a cat and the other was a dog. "H-hey…are you guys okay?" She whined out, almost afraid to find out if it was. "You—you're not dead, are you?" Sneaking a little bit more; she paused as the familiar form began to jog her memory. Quickly clapping her hands over her mouth to muffle her squeak of surprise, Renee began to hyperventilate as she slowly backed away from them, accidentally breathing in the dust in the air and coughing out her lungs in the process.

There in the middle of the room was none other than the world famous bi-cranial quadruped themselves, CatDog.


	2. The Misunderstanding

**That Fateful Night**

**By The Sole Survivor**

**Chapter 2 – The Misunderstanding**

----  
As Renee's choking epidemic ended, she sighed heavily, her hands dropping from her lips. It would be appropriate to put the blame on the obviously magical crystal ball she'd appropriately named Lil' V. Darth Vader sounded too evil. Ren rolled her eyes. If she were to tell her classmates what she'd just witnessed, they'd label her crazy and kick her out of the clique for good. "Yeah, like my life depends on that group of people…" She murmured but she was snapped out of her thoughts when the animation-turned-real feline started showing signs of life. His paw was twitching and his ears began listening for any odd sounds in the room. Renee panicked, her hands flying above her head. "Oh man, what am I gonna do? What do I do? Gaah! I don't know what I should do!" Renee clutched at her head in alarm.

"Oh man…." Cat murmured weakly and held a shaking hand to his head. "What just happened?" He groaned, trying to lift himself up but having no such luck. His arms were beginning to shake with strain. One minute, he and Dog were both sitting on their couch in their home, the next they were forcibly sucked into a black hole that appeared out of nowhere. Not the best way to travel. Dog was breathing a bit raggedly in his slumber, but he didn't seem too uncomfortable to shift his position. Renee's hands clenched by her sides, her other dilemma completely forgotten.

She didn't care if this was a hallucination or not, she had to help them.

Slowly, she inched her way back over to him and lowered herself to her knees and set her hands in front of her on the carpeted floor. "Hey there…" She spoke softly to get his attention. She held back a grin as his ears twitched in her direction and his head slowly followed suit. Cat squinted at her, as if trying to recognize her with no luck. His eyes clenched shut as if from a headache throb and his paw latched itself onto his skull.

"Wha…where am I?" He asked, his tired eyes roaming around the room. Cat was probably just as confused as she was which was completely understandable. Renee figured she'd be terrified if she were dropped out of a black hole into an unfamiliar place, except she'd probably be the one screaming in panic and running around in circles in alarm. Cat slowly moved his paw down his face as a yawn ripped his mouth open. Renee watched silently before she reached for him hesitantly.

"Don't worry; I'll help you, bud." She murmured in reply, rubbing her hand across his head softly and had to smile when he nodded in response, his confused expression loosening.

"That's good…think I'll…sleep now." He whispered as he let his head hit the floor, seeming to accept her answer or just didn't care either way. Renee sighed and continued to run her fingers through the soft fur on his head before her eyes were drawn to the unconscious Dog. Sliding her other hand over to him, she stroked from the top of his eyebrows to the brown spot on his back and repeated. In his state of oblivion, Dog took in a deep breath and let it out in a sigh.

"This is too weird." Renee muttered to herself. If she hadn't been in contact with them at the point in time, she would've thought they were phantoms of her imagination. "Am I dreaming?" She asked, still running her hands along their heads in sync. "You two are supposed to be behind a television screen, not thrown from a black hole in an old abandoned creepy house." Renee sighed and hung her head in defeat. "This must be a dream…but I'll help you guys even if you are hallucinations. Now, how am I gonna get you outside?" She asked them quietly, glancing around for an exit. As she looked, her eyes caught the front door down the hallway she'd come inside from.

Nodding to herself, she slid her arms underneath CatDog and pulled, grunting as she lifted them above the carpet. "Man, you guys… are heavier than you look..." She puffed out in between pants of exertion. "Well, either that or I'm just not as strong as I thought…" She murmured offhandedly as she moved them around in her arms. Cat ended up being flung over her shoulder, his arms flopping unceremoniously down her back. Dog was curled up in the crease of her elbow with her other arm wrapped around him for collateral, and he was murmuring something about bones and garbage trucks. Getting her grip on them, she turned away from the fortune teller's table with the cracked Darth Vader ball lying in its place.

"Well, thanks for the…gift." She told the ball sheepishly as she gestured to CatDog. "I hope Alex isn't being too impatient." She murmured as she made her way back to the front door.

"Darn it Renee, would you OPEN this freakin' door?! I am sick of this!"

Back outside, Alex beat viciously on the door. While Ren had herself a mini adventure, Alexandra was quickly losing what little of her patience she had left. She was cold, hungry and very angry. Growling, she prepared herself to attempt to kick the door down when the familiar voice of her friend rang out from the inside.

"Alex, calm down! I'm alright, just don't kill the door!" Renee shouted frantically.

Relief flooded through Alex at hearing her friend's familiar voice but it didn't calm her temper. "Renee? Where the heck have you been? I've been calling and calling you but you disappeared and---!"

"Would you chill? I'm fine." She interrupted quickly as she tried to maneuver CatDog into a more firm position in her arms. However when she wrapped her other arm around Cat to pull him from her shoulder, he seemed to register that he was falling and quickly threw his arms around her neck in a choke-hold. Renee gagged silently before she groaned in defeat. She could feel Cat breathing on her skin he hugged her neck like he would a pillow. Then as if the movement from his brother triggered something in Dog, the canine had slowly wound his arms around her waist, his face pressed into her side as he dozed. Renee felt goose bumps travel over her skin from the extra warmth they provided through her jacket. "Well darn…" She murmured. "C-can you open the door for me? My arms are occupied." Renee called out through the door.

Alexandra felt a tick form on her forehead and she clenched her fists.

"I can't, it's kind of locked." Alex's mouth twisted heavily into a frown. "Alright, what did you find; a kitten? Or maybe a little dog?" She asked. Renee chuckled nervously and tried once again to move Cat as he purred and nuzzled her neck.

"You have no idea." Ren told her nervously.

Alex glared at the door, crossing her arms. "Renee listen, you seriously don't need a pet." Renee rolled her eyes and carefully sat on the floor, waiting for Alex to finish while CatDog was still wrapped around her, somewhat resembling an odd scarf and belt accessory. Cat mumbled something in his sleep and buried his face into the warmth of her neck where her jacket lay loosely. Dog's arms got tighter as he whined, probably having a nightmare. She sighed and curled her arm tightly around Cat and ran her hand over Dog's head. "You don't know where it's been, it could have some kind of disease." Alex continued, trying to reason with her friend. "So put whatever it is you found back. Do you really think you will take care of it? Pets have needs, Ren."

"I honestly doubt CatDog has some kind of disease…" Renee muttered under her breath and glared at the door. "Alexandra, I don't think I need to stay in her much longer, so could we hurry this along?" Alex blinked at the door in surprise and confusion.

"Whoever must've lived here before had really bad common sense." She sighed and shook her head, eyeing the door skeptically. "Why were they in there?"

"Maybe they like the scenery." Renee replied evenly.

"Renee, come on, quit playing around. Put them back where you found them and let's get out of here. I'm tired of this place." Renee curled her legs underneath herself and stood awkwardly, oddly keeping her balance and somehow kept CatDog from falling off. Although with their grip, she didn't think they'd be going anywhere anytime soon.

"I'm being serious and I'm not taking them back in there. If you don't believe me then see for yourself." Alex scoffed and crossed her arms.

"Renee, I don't want to see it. Put them back and let's go." Renee scowled.

"Alex, I'm gonna try to break the door down." She spoke through gritted teeth.

"What?" Alex asked and cupped her hand to her ear, leaning close to the door. "I can't hear you, speak up!" Renee rolled her eyes and kicked the door as hard as she could. Alex yelped as the door rattled and shook and she scurried to the side. Another kick sounded and the door quivered again. "Stop trying to kill the door! And me!" She yelled in defense.

"How the heck am I supposed to get out, then?" Renee asked irritably. Alex sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Let me try the handle again." She reached out and grasped the knob, turning it barely an inch before the whole door collapsed inside the house. Alex grinned in triumph while Renee gaped at the door for a few seconds before glaring at her friend.

"Well, I loosened it." She muttered and stepped around the door.

"Yeah right, you couldn't have gotten out without…my…help..." She trailed off as soon as she saw what Renee had around her neck and waist. "Is…what the heck is that?" Alex asked bluntly. "It's not dead, is it?" Renee glared at her evenly and curled her arm around CatDog's middle carefully.

"THEY," She emphasized pointedly before continuing, "are Cat and Dog." She pointed to them respectfully. "And of course they're alive!" She grumbled, rolling her eyes. "When I went in that house, I found a crystal ball that sounded like James Earl Jones, you know the guy who sounds like Darth Vader? Anyway, Lil' V granted me a wish after he read my mind. Then, out of nowhere, these guys fell out of a black hole in the ceiling of that house." She explained and gestured to the old house behind her, ignoring Alex's blank look.

"Whoa, wait, hold on a second…" Alex waved her hand as if to dismiss her friend's crazy idea. "Okay, so you're trying to tell me that some magical stone---!"

"Lil' V." Renee interrupted with a glare on her face.

Alex blinked and raised an eyebrow, grinding her teeth at the interruption. "…What?" Renee continued to frown at her friend.

"I named the stone Lil' V, for little Vader. It's easy to remember."

Alex's eye twitched as she tensed her shoulders. "Whatever, I'm calling it a stone, okay?"

"No, you have to call it Lil' V!" Renee protested strongly, but quickly sobered at seeing Alex's annoyed expression. "Fine, call it what you want then."

While Renee pouted, Alex took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "So a magical stone," She said, eyeing Renee pointedly before continuing, "granted you a wish and somehow randomly brought you an odd looking cat and dog?" Renee blinked as she processed this, and then nodded once.

"Yeah, that's exactly what happened!" Renee shouted absentmindedly. Dog suddenly twitched in his sleep, his jaw falling open and a loud snore echoing deep from his throat. Cat, in his sleep-induced state reached down, lazily groping for his brother's mouth. When he didn't find him, he gave up with a moan and left his arm hanging. Renee's frown lifted slightly and she grabbed Cat's loose paw and tucked it back around her neck. "I don't expect you to believe me, but the proof is right here." Alex stood and eyed the two of them carefully.

"Well, truly and honestly, I don't, but are you seriously gonna take them with you? They were probably in there for a reason, you know." She responded as she reached up and scratched Cat between his ears. A smile graced his face and faint purring could be heard. "They look pretty heavy too." She muttered indifferently.

"What could possibly go wrong? If they were, I don't think they would've been dropped from a worm hole." Renee reminded her as she eyed the two odd creatures. "And yes, they are a little heavy." Alex hummed in thought and stretched her other hand to rub Dog's ear.

"What about your mom?" Alex asked and effectively wiped the small smile from the Maxell's face. Renee sighed and adjusted them in her arms, grunting slightly.

"Well…I could call and ask her, but I think she'd say no. So I'm just going to sneak them inside." Alex gave her a firm look.

"Dude, I wouldn't push your mom. Who knows what she might do to these guys when she sees you brought them inside the house. I mean, your mom's not the kindest person when it comes to odd looking creatures like these two." Renee bit her lip and tightened her hold on accident. Cat's brow narrowed slightly as he released his hold on her neck, pushing away from the restraints in discomfort. Renee gasped and loosened her grip immediately, setting him gently on the grass.

"I think Cat's waking up!" She whispered urgently to Alex and knelt beside him, who sighed. The Maxell hurriedly tried to unhook Dog's grip from around her waist.

"It's about time." She murmured and walked to stand beside her friend. "I was wondering how long the freak would be out." Renee glared at her, frowning heavily at her friend.

"Alex, be nice!" Renee scolded before she began to panic, her hands roaming over Dog's arms. She then held her arms high above her head, a pleading expression on her face. The canine attached to her waist mumbled and buried his nose into her shirt. "Help me!" She gestured to Dog quickly. Alex rolled her eyes and walked behind Ren. She paused as she observed Dog's tight grip and hummed in thought.

"Why don't you leave him there? He'll eventually let go."

"Yeah, not likely! Get him off!" Renee growled and Alex sighed.

"Alright, fine. But don't blame me if he wants back up here, because he sure looks comfortable." She murmured and carefully wrapped her hands around Dog's wrists, tugging them apart evenly. Renee let out a sigh of relief as she set him gently on the ground adjacent to his brother. As soon as she was about to stand up, Cat's eyes slowly slid open.

Renee froze in place.

Cat blinked once at the sky and shifted his eyes to look at her, then at Alex before he seemed to remember where he was and what vaguely happened. His eyes widened drastically before he bolted upright, glancing around wildly while patting his body down for injuries.

"What the heck? Where am I?" The confused feline asked and his ears flattened against his skull in uncertainty. Alex blinked a few times before turning to Renee.

"Is it just me, or is the unnatural cat talking?" She asked dully, pointing at Cat, who narrowed one eye at her. Renee stared blankly back at her.

"Duh, of course he is. He's Cat, and he's Dog. That's what they do."

"Who?" Cat rolled his eyes as he ignored the two girls'. Glancing down, he saw his brother appeared fine, and was still snoozing in peace. He leant down and sniffed the ground experimentally, wincing. This was Dog's job, not his! Crouching, Cat carefully examined the different and strange scents and smells in the new world. He tried to block out the conversation behind him.

"You can't tell me you don't recognize them!" Renee urged her friend's memories of the old show, but all Alex could offer Renee was a shrug. "Alright, do you remember the theme song? It started like, 'one fine day with a woof and a purr, a baby was born and it caused a little stir…' Remember?" Alex shrugged again, her eyebrow raised. "Okay, well… how about this. Their parents were a frog and some giant blue creature. They live with a blue rodent named Winslow in their strange home. Um…"

Renee racked her brain for any other useful information. "Oh, Dog loves chasing garbage trucks, and Cat hates it. The Greaser Dogs love beating up CatDog because they're 'two-headed freaks'. Does that ring any bells?" Alex's eyes grew dull as she listened. She waved a hand offhandedly.

"I'm pretty sure if I haven't remembered them by now, then I probably never will. CatDog sounds like it was just one of your old, creepy stalkerish obsessions." Cat's eyes were scanning the area around but when he heard Alex's comment, his head snapped back in their direction.

"Okay, wait. Who are you and how do you know so much about me and Dog?" He asked Renee firmly, planting his fists on his hips suspiciously. Renee blinked and tilted her head while Alex glared at him.

"Well, kitty cat, I believe we're the ones that rescued you." Alex mentioned skeptically. "So how about a little respect for your saviors, huh?" Renee pointed behind her.

"Actually, I just carried you and Dog out of that old abandoned house." She told him with a grin.

Cat raised his eyebrows in confusion. "But, that doesn't make any sense! How did we---?" Dog suddenly groaned in his sleep, sitting upright groggily, effectively cutting off his brother's question.

"What's going on Cat?" Dog grumbled as he rubbed his eyes. Cat shook his head, rolling his eyes.

"Dog, must you wake up at exactly the wrong moment?" The feline asked his brother exasperatedly, crossing his arms. Dog blinked and shrugged innocently.

"I guess so." Sighing, Cat reached out and grabbed Dog by his shoulders.

"Dog, look around you and tell me where we are." Dog blinked and he looked left and right, then up and down, sniffing the air experimentally. After several seconds he turned his gaze back to Cat's, who looked a little more than aggravated.

"I don't have any idea where we are." He admitted, making his brother sigh.

"Terrific…" Cat muttered and glared heatedly, his ears folding down.

"Do you?" Dog asked after a minute.

"If I did, would I be asking you?" Cat shouted disdainfully. Renee turned to Alex with a raised eyebrow.

"Should we do something?" She murmured to her friend. Alex shrugged.

"I vote letting them work it out. Let's vamoose before they realize we're still here." Right when she turned to go, Renee reached out hurriedly and grasped her arm.

"Alex, we can't just---!" She shouted before she tripped and landed hard on the ground, causing Dog's ears to perk from the noise. Renee lifted her head and caught the canine's gaze while Alex cursed under her breath and sighed, slapping her hand over her eyes. Dog eyed them curiously as Renee scrambled to her feet.

"Hey Cat, why are they here?" He asked, already interested. Cat followed his gaze and rolled his eyes.

"They were there when I woke up." Cat informed him flatly. "Apparently, that one there rescued us from a scary old house." He added, pointing at Renee. Dog blinked and eyed them in confusion. "I still haven't figured out how we were in that house to begin with but…" Slowly his brother's frown curled up into a smile. "What is it?" Cat asked him.

"They look nice, Cat. I wonder if they could tell us where we are." Dog commented, already walking to Renee and Alex before Cat slammed his claws into the dirt, effectively halting his brother.

"No, Dog! They could be danger—!" Cat abruptly cut off as an idea formed. He unhooked his nails and grabbed Dog's head, turning him to face him. "Dog, they could be the bad guys, the villains, the cold-blooded monsters in this strange world." He murmured to the canine mysteriously, grinning when Dog's eyes widened.

"What?" He asked, frightened as he gazed at the girls' again, making them blink and share a glance. "But they don't look evil, Cat." Dog whimpered. Cat's grin turned wicked.

"That's just what they want you to think, Dog. They're pulling you in with sweet words and friendship but they really just want to take our livers and spleens and use them for experiments, then eat our brains!" Cat finished and wiggled his fingers to emphasize his story. Dog whimpered and whined for a few seconds, his eyes darting around nervously before he yelped and dove behind his brother.

"Don't let them get our vital organs, Cat!" He cried, his paws covering his head as he shook in terror. Cat turned to Renee and Alex and crossed his arms with a smug grin as if daring them to make a move. Renee and Alex stood frozen for a couple of seconds at the turn of events. Renee raised a finger to say something, but Alex beat her to it.

"Excuse me?" She asked and made her way over to the irate feline. She towered over him menacingly, but Cat glared at her evenly, his shaking brother still cowering behind him. "Where do you go making up stories like that, kitty cat? We saved you, and this is how you repay us?" Alex inquired him, gesturing to her nervous friend behind her. Renee quickly ran up to them with her hands out in a non-threatening motion.

"Hey, lower the volume you guys, please!" Renee whimpered as gestured to them frantically; turning every which way to make sure no one had heard them and were coming to investigate. "It's around 3 in the morning, so half the neighborhood is asleep!" She pleaded as Cat gazed at her silently for a few seconds, his eyes searching hers before switching his gaze to Alex. The irked feline rolled his eyes and turned his head.

"We didn't ask you to save us, did we? As far as I can tell, Dog and I were both sound asleep during this daring rescue." He continued sarcastically, his paws hitting his waist again. "How do we know you're not the ones that put us there to begin with? How can we trust you?" Cat asked while glaring heatedly. Alex's fists clenched tightly, itching to pop the feline just once. She blinked in shock however when Renee threw her arms around her shoulders tightly, pulling her away from Cat quickly. Alex kicked her legs in defiance.

"Let me go! I was just about to teach that no good---!"

"Alexandra, stop it!" Renee barked in an angry voice. Alex growled and glared at Cat, looking intent on drawing blood. Dog, who had been listening to this quarrel for a few minutes slowly sat up and gazed at them silently before catching Cat's guarded glance. Renee sighed deeply. "Are you calm now or do I need to take you to the car?" She asked, and let out a sigh when her friend scowled in annoyance. Renee released her carefully as Alex grumbled under her breath. Cat heard little bits that sounded suspiciously like "Stupid kitty cat…" The feline rolled his eyes and sighed, turning to Dog who was looking at Renee and Alex thoughtfully.

"Cat, even if they're evil beings from beyond that want our brains, they still don't seem so bad." He remarked and Cat paused, giving his brother a wary glare.

The feline's ears lowered and his teeth bore in agitation. "We don't know them, Dog." Alex sighed and crossed her arms, while Renee gazed toward them silently.

"Last time I checked, we're still here." Alexandra called out in irritation. Renee shook her head and sighed.

"Come on, Cat! We still have our brains, don't we?" Cat rolled his eyes, his eyes narrowing afterwards.

"Yes, it appears that way, but who knows what else they did?" Cat whispered in Dog's ear, making the canine glare at his brother. "They could've…" Cat paused as he thought up another horrible excuse. "They could've tried to surgically separate us, Dog!" The two in question turned to glance at each other at his accusation unbelievingly.

"Watch it, feline." Alex growled under her breath as she glared at Cat. "Do we look like the surgical type of people that can handle that much blood?" Renee forced a grin and tried to ignore the tense atmosphere. Dog frowned, his eyes tightening.

"Cat, would you just look at them? Look them straight in the eyes and tell me they're bad people." Cat scowled and turned his head away.

"I refuse."

"Cat..." Dog sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't sense anything dangerous on them, if that makes any difference." Dog replied softly and glanced at Alex and Renee for a short second. "Call it my intuition." He grinned happily at his brother's blank stare for a few seconds.

"Intuition…?" Renee whispered in Alex's ear. "Isn't that what you need to get into college?" Alex rolled her eyes and shook her head. Cat took a deep breath and let it out slowly, his shoulders drooping and he too looked at the girls.

"Well, if you say so, Dog." Cat answered before giving his brother a doubtful glance. "Fine, you win. And since when do you use the word 'intuition'?" He muttered disdainfully in defeat before he hung his head. The canine grinned at his brother and threw an arm around his shoulders while Cat grumbled to himself. Renee hesitantly took a step forward.

"Are you guys okay now…?" She asked, reaching a hand out tentatively, making Cat and Dog turn to look at her.

"Okay, so we had a misunderstanding. How about we start over then?" Cat told her awkwardly and rubbed the back of his neck. Alex scoffed and crossed her arms.

"'Misunderstanding' is an understatement, hair ball."

While Cat glowered at Alex, Dog beamed and held out his paw to Renee. "Nice to make your acquaintance-ship, I'm Dog!" He told her cheerfully. Renee slapped her hand on his and shook it with vigor in her excitement. Cat frowned and turned away stubbornly.

"Same here, Dog! My names Renee, but my friends call me Ren!" She grinned at him. Her ecstatic grin softened to a small smile as she looked at Cat. Dog and Alex watched intensely as she carefully knelt in front of him, not making any sound. Cat's ear twitched as he turned slowly to look at her.

"What do you want?" Cat asked abruptly, eyeing her carefully. "Don't think that I trust you just because Dog does." Dog glared at his brother sternly.

"Cat, don't be mean to our new friends." He murmured to the feline, to which Cat glared back in response. Renee bit her lip uncertainly and wrung a knot in her shirt, her stomach filling with nervous butterflies.

"Cat… I know you must think I'm some… bad person but…" She murmured and in the next second, she threw herself down on her hands before the feline. Cat drew back in shock, his eyes wide with surprise.

"Hey, what do you think you're---?"

Renee cut him off swiftly. "Please let me help you guys. I don't want you to leave. Not yet." She whimpered out softly, her head lowered. Cat huffed and hung his shoulders, his arms extending out in front of him.

"We don't even know you!" The shocked feline exclaimed hurriedly. "I mean, it's not like we asked you for your help! You don't have to---!" He was cut off again by Ren groaning quietly. She got herself together quickly as her face flushed and wiped her eyes quickly. She pushed herself up so she could look at Cat, taking in a deep unnecessary breath. He blinked slowly at her, wondering if her cheeks were red from the cold air or embarrassment of crying.

"Please Cat? Alex and I can help you guys! You won't have to go to anyone else because I'm pretty sure that anyone else wouldn't help! I'll take care of you and Dog like you guys were my own family, I promise!" Renee whimpered out and clenched her hands together hopefully. Alex, having heard her friend's offer, glared as she felt her eyebrow twitching.

"Whoa, wait a second…'Alex and I'?" She asked tensely as she made her way to Renee, who grinned sheepishly on her knees. Cat crossed his arms as he watched them, his ears slightly tilted in caution. Dog glanced at his brother.

"Come on, Cat, what have we got to lose?" Dog asked him softly, nudging him with his shoulder. Cat grunted stubbornly.

"My dignity, my patience, our freedom..." The feline murmured softly in rebuttal. Dog sighed and his eyes were drawn to Renee as she tightened her hands together and held them out in front of her, pleading with her friend as well as the bi-cranial quadruped. She was taking a lot on in one night; he had to admit, especially trying to convince Alex to help them.

"Please Alex? I'll do most of it, I swear!" She murmured out to her friend, oblivious to Cat and Dog sharing a glance.

"Why are you guys making promises when we haven't even agreed to this yet?" Cat called out, throwing his arms out for emphasis. They ignored him. "We could probably leave. That'd get their attention." Cat murmured to his brother. Dog rolled his eyes.

"And besides," Renee continued, "you're my friend and friends help each other, don't they?" She pointedly told her and gave Alex a stern look. "Also, anything else you say in defense will be noted on your contract." She told her friend before grinning. Alex rolled her eyes in aggravation.

"Of course, how could I forget this mysterious contract I obviously have no memory of signing." Alexandra put her hands on her hips and sighed. "They're staying at your house." She grumbled and turned to CatDog. "Alright you two, make up your mind. I doubt she'll leave until you guys agree to this, so hurry up." Renee grinned and gave her a hug.

"Thanks Alex."

"Yeah, you owe me." Alex muttered while Renee knelt in front of Cat once again.

"What do you say?" Cat blinked before he faced Alex grudgingly.

"Do you two really have a contract?" Cat asked hesitantly as he leaned around to face Alex, avoiding Renee's question. Alex grinned and crossed her arms.

"I wouldn't necessarily call it a 'contract', more like an 'unwilling commitment'." Cat stared at her, warily trying to understand her meaning while Dog smiled and reached out a hand to Renee, who grinned in return.

"We would love to accept your help, wouldn't we Cat?" He asked as he shook the girl's hand happily. Cat eyed the handshake and shook his head, grumbling to himself.

"I know I'm probably going to regret this later…" Cat muttered under his breath before sighing. "If you really want to, Dog, I guess its fine." He grumbled and was surprised when he felt something fling itself around his torso. He stuttered in shock and raised his arms high above his head to see Renee squeezing her arms as tight as she could get them, burying her face in his furred chest. "Hey!"

"Thank you, Cat." She whispered softly to him, tightening her grip for a second. "I'll take care of you two, I promise. You have nothing to worry about." Cat felt his face heating up and he quickly reached behind himself to unhook her hands. Renee blinked in surprise and Cat cleared his throat as he released her hands hurriedly, rubbing his hand across the back of his head.

"Sure. Whatever." He muttered. Renee smiled gently at the feline before she held her arms out for Dog, giving him a hug. "Alright you three, let's go to my car!" She exclaimed cheerfully and bounded off merrily to her vehicle. Cat, Dog and Alex stood behind, blinking dazedly after the ecstatic girl. After a few minutes of silence, Alex shook her head and began after her friend.

"Is she like that all the time?" Cat asked her as Dog followed Renee, pulling the feline along on his belly. Alex chuckled and gave Cat a Cheshire-like grin.

"Oh, I'm sure you'll get used to it eventually." She told him cheerfully as she approached the already running Nissan Sentra. Cat blinked as he tried to make sense of her expression.

"Hey, wait, what do you mean by that?" He asked suspiciously. Alex ignored him and hopped in the passenger seat while Dog opened up the back door and leaped inside the warm cab. "Hey, you didn't answer my question!" Cat demanded, quickly pulling on his safety harness. Alex turned in her seat.

"You'll see, fur ball." She told him sneakily, grinning when he gulped silently and he switched his gaze out the window. Renee eyed the expression on her friend's face.

"Were you trying to scare Cat?" She asked her sternly. Alex's grin turned devious and she shook her head.

"No, of course I wasn't." Renee hummed in disbelief and looked in her rearview mirror to see Cat practically glued to the window in apprehension. Dog grinned as he buckled himself in.

"So, where are we going, miss driver lady?" He asked and grabbed a hold of the passenger seat to look at Renee. She blinked and looked back with a grin, her eyes bright and excited. Cat turned to look at the silly expression on his brother's face, while grumbling under his breath and crossed his arms, his back sliding down the edge of the seat. If Dog had an actual tail, it'd be wagging a mile a minute. He was practically soaking up Renee's attention like a sponge.

"Well, we're going someplace to eat first, because Miss Grouchy over there demands food in her belly." Renee and Dog glanced at the passenger with equally large grins. Alex stuck her tongue out childishly and slumped against the seat.

"Whatever, I bet you're just as hungry as I am." She muttered and glanced out the window. Dog's tongue lolled out of his mouth in a typical canine fashion as he grinned back at Renee. "Then, after I drop off Alex at her place, we're going to my home to find you guys a place to sleep." She playfully wrapped her arm around Dog's neck in a hug before releasing him and putting the car in drive, leaving the old house behind them. Dog leaned back in his seat, grinning giddily as he turned to look at Cat's sour expression.

"Boy Cat, Renee sure is nice!" He commented cheerfully. Cat glared at his brother for a few seconds before leaning forward as Dog had to look out the windshield, his paws hanging onto the back of Renee's seat. Alex blinked when she noticed him and grinned.

"Hey, it's the fur ball." She remarked, enjoying the glare he sent her way. Renee grinned and glanced at him for a split second before focusing back on the road. Cat tensed and waited for Renee to grab onto him like she did with Dog, but nothing happened. He cracked open an eye carefully.

"Hey Cat; I wanted to ask you something." Renee inquired suddenly as she pulled to a stop at a red light. Turning to look at him, she asked, "Do you have any references for food, or is any place fine for you?" Dog perked up.

"Oh, tacos, tacos, tacos!" He yelped and dove into the front seats. Cat growled as he grabbed him by the back of his neck and yanked him back.

"Dog, she didn't ask you!" He scolded and turned back to Renee with a thoughtful look. "Well…you wouldn't happen to have any white fish chub, would you?" He asked slyly, wringing his paws together with a wide grin. Renee pressed the gas pedal when the light turned green, a pondering expression on her face.

"Well, we have a seafood joint, but I'm not so sure they have what you're after." She commented before glancing at Alex. "Well, my friend, it is now up to you. What's the dining place of your choosing?" Alex stared blankly back at Renee before raising an eyebrow coolly with a scowl.

"We've been through this. I am not deciding anything, Renee. You know I hate it when you do this." Alex growled out under her breath. "For once, why don't you make a decision on your own?" Renee's eyebrows lowered significantly and her eyelid twitched.

"Alex, you're my friend, you have the money, so you decide the place. That's how it's done." Renee spat back, her fists clenching convulsively on the wheel. Alex rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, leaning against the passenger seat heavily.

"Dude, that doesn't matter. It's your car; it's your freakin' gas, so you decide okay? I refuse to choose just because I have the money." Cat's ears lowered as he shrunk into the backseat and Dog whimpered softly as he curled up next to his brother.

"How about we just get take-out?" Cat offered meekly and shrunk at the glares they sent his way, quivering as he hid behind Dog.

"Fine, since you're obviously not that hungry to pick," Renee growled out between her teeth as she swung the car around and parked in front of a random building. "How about we just forget about eating?" Alex glared and threw her arms out.

"You are so infuriating! Why don't you quit being so stubborn and decide on something?" Alex shouted at her friend. Renee, in her anger, took both her fists and slammed them hard on the steering wheel.

"Because I just don't care where we go, okay?" She shouted back, glaring intensely. Through the heated argument, a whimper got through the both of them. To Renee, it was single-handedly the most heart-breaking sound she'd ever heard. Her anger disappeared in a second but before she could turn around to look in the backseat, Dog's loud shout startled all in the vehicle.

"STOP IT!" The canine's paws were clenched and he glared unsteadily at the two girls. Behind him, Cat blinked in shock at his brother.

"D-Dog, what're you---?" Cat stuttered.

"You two should be ashamed." Dog continued, ignoring his brother. Renee and Alex shared a look before turning back to the angry canine. "You guys are best friends, and you're arguing over a place to eat? That's not what friends do." He continued, placing his paws on his waist sternly. Ren blinked as she raised a finger.

"Well… we do this all the time." She told him softly, slightly frightened by Dog's reaction. Alex nodded in agreement beside her.

"Yeah, it's sort of our routine." She got up slowly and grabbed Dog by his shoulders, shaking him. "Calm yourself, everything is okay!" She shouted broken words into Dog's face. The canine blinked in shock and Alex soon released him, allowing him to fall against the backseat. Renee sighed and turned to face the two brothers.

"Look guys… I- I'm sorry. If being with me and Alex is gonna be too much for you, you're free to leave. I won't keep you from your freedom, but I'd really rather you at least stay until we get something to eat. I would feel horrible if you were on the street going hungry." Renee told them, tears already pooling to the corners of her eyes. Dog sniffed and wiped his nose while Cat avoided her gaze, trying to ignore her as he eyed something on the floor of her car. Alex blinked rapidly in her seat before facing Renee.

"Are you out of your mind?" She shouted, throwing her arms above her head. "You know as well as I do that these dimwits wouldn't last a day on the streets!" At her comment, Cat stared angrily as his ears lay against his head. Dog blinked rapidly before creeping toward the back of Renee's seat, doing his best to avoid the tense atmosphere.

"What makes you think that?" He asked her stiffly, crossing his arms. Alex gazed back nonchalantly with half-lidded eyes.

"Well, for one hair ball, this is a place different than what you're used to." She reminded him, ignoring his narrowed glare. Renee sighed and shook her head at Alex.

"Alex… that's not fair…" She murmured.

She glanced into Renee's pleading eyes before she huffed and crossed her arms, holding out her hand to show two fingers. "Second, you two are attached at the waist. Not one living creature in this world is similar. What do you think will happen when someone else finds you guys, that's not like me or Renee? I'm talking about bad people that would hurt you in an instant." Dog gulped and whimpered. Cat's scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Come on, don't be ridiculous---!" He started, but was interrupted. Alex pointedly held out a third finger.

"Thirdly, I really don't think Renee would let either of you go without a fight or compromise." Alex continued with a stern glare. "If you guys walk out of this car, I'd bet my life's allowance that she'd track you down, so I suggest you stick with her." When Cat turned in her direction with curious eyes, Renee grinned weakly in response.

"She's probably right you know, but I wouldn't be so obsessive about it." She chuckled weakly in her defense. Before she turned back to the steering wheel, she switched her gaze to Dog before looking back at Cat. "I would just be scared you two would get hurt." She murmured and put the car in reverse, pulling out of the parking lot. Cat's ear twitched, his gaze switching to the back of Renee's head. "How do tacos sound?" She called in a more cheery tone. Dog perked up in an instant, bouncing in his seat.

"Hi-ho-diggety!" He cheered and elbowed his brother in the side. Cat blinked out of his trance and shook his head.

"What?"

"We're getting tacos, Cat!" The feline groaned and slapped his palm over his eyes.

"Terrific." He muttered.


	3. Taking Them In

**That Fateful Night  
****Chapter 3**

xx

An hour or two later, after they'd eaten their food and Renee dropped Alex off at her house, they sat in silence in the driveway of Renee's home. She paused and took a deep breath before turning the car off. Cat and Dog watched her, trying to guess her expression by her movements. Cat, in his curiosity, looked out the window to get a better look of her house. She lived in a middle-class, two-story house with a garage. The house was cream colored with red shutters and Cat noticed a black Chrysler Sebring sitting beside Renee's Nissan Sentra. Finally, Renee turned to look at the two brothers.

"Alright you guys, this is gonna be difficult. The moment we get out of this car, we have to hurry inside. That way, I won't have to explain your appearance until I've come up with a good enough excuse." She explained and then opened the driver's door to stand waiting on them to exit the vehicle. Cat blinked and shared a glance with Dog. The feline slowly reached for the handle and pushed open the door, gripping onto it to see over the top.

"Renee… you kept your promise and fed us, you really don't have to do this too." He reminded her; a little guilty about the trouble he was putting her through. Normally, he'd milk this sort of thing, but Renee's almost innocent act made him feel uncomfortable, and he hated it. Dog popped up next to his brother.

"Yeah, it's no problem for us to leave. We've survived worse than this." Dog spoke softly with his ears dangling low. Renee tilted her head and frowned. Slowly, she moved around the door and kneeled in front of them. Cat and Dog hopped down from the door and watched her cautiously for her reaction. She paused and took a shaky breath.

"You guys don't have to go. This is no problem for me, really." She insisted, and then reached for both of them with her arms spread. "Come on, let's go inside." Cat sighed when Dog obediently moved into one side of her hold. Renee glanced at the feline expectantly. He shook his head and sighed, crossing his arms.

"I really don't want you to push the responsibility for us on yourself," Cat told her again, this time more firmly with a stern glare. "Dog and I can take care of ourselves, we have before." Dog gazed at his brother solemnly, not moving to speak or object as he lay in Renee's arms. "It's not like we're incapable of that." He muttered. The young girl thought his words over carefully. She understood what he was trying to get across, but she still couldn't stand to let them leave.

"I know, Cat…" She murmured and hung her head. "I just…" She paused and cuddled Dog to her closely for comfort by wrapping her arms around him, causing the canine to glance up at her in sympathy. Cat watched this exchange, briefly frowning before focusing back on Renee as she continued. "I understand, I really do, but I just don't think I'm ready to let you go." She sighed. "I know I'm being so selfish, but I still can't face the fact that you two are right here and real. If you leave…" She took another shaky breath. "If you leave, I don't think my heart could take it." Wiping her eyes with her free hand, she looked at Cat and saw his resolve was nearly gone, but not quite.

"Alright, hold on." He crossed his arms and glared. "You're still not making sense with all of this 'if you leave, I can't take it' stuff. I'm not convinced, I need more than that." Cat explained with his ears laid back. "Why can't you? What happens when we have to go to get home? What are you gonna do then?" Renee shifted on her knees, staring at the top of Dog's head as she thought. The canine glared weakly at his brother in response. She looked up and stared Cat straight into his eyes. He paused by the sudden intensity of her stare, but held it. Finally, she spoke after she thought hard on Cat's questions.

"Cat, have you ever met someone and… and you just get the feeling that they're the best person you've ever met? Like one of your best friends?" Cat pondered over her question, running over different people in his mind and had to shudder when the Greaser Dog's came into view.

Instead he said, "Sure."

"And after you spend a little bit of time with them, you realize that they're the greatest thing to happen to you in your dull life. So great in fact, that you'd feel lost if you were to let them go." She murmured softly as she finished, a tear sliding defiantly out of the corner of her eye. Cat's glare immediately softened and he had the urge to reach out and comfort her, but he held back. Closing his eyes, he shook his head again and was about to object when Dog finally spoke up.

"Cat…" He called to his brother. "Let's not ruin her fun. She really wants us to stay." The canine whimpered as he gave Cat the puppy-dog eyes and the pout. The feline grimaced and glanced back at Renee.

"Please…" She whispered as she gripped Dog a little more snugly, holding her hand out for him again.

Cat gazed into her heart-broken eyes for a few seconds after her speech before he finally understood her reasoning for her actions. Renee didn't want them to leave because she thought if they did, she'd never see them again. From the way she pleaded with him, he could see that she was scared because of how much she'd grown to care about them, even from that short time of knowing them. Cat caught Dog's teary-eyed gaze and he sighed before scratching the back of his head, embarrassed by his position.

"Well…" He murmured before looking up in Renee's eyes again. "I guess we can stay for a little while." He agreed softly for her benefit. Her eyes suddenly glowed with happiness and a small grin crept on her face as he scooted slowly into her arms next to Dog. Renee wasted no time in pulling Cat closer to her to hug them both tightly and sighed softly in relief.

"Thank you…" She breathed to Cat as she kissed the top of his head between his ears. He closed his eyes and nodded, wrapping his arms over his chest.

"Sure, it's no problem." He murmured softly. Dog glanced up at Renee before turning to the feline.

"That was a nice thing you did, Cat." The canine murmured. Cat shook his head and sighed.

"Renee! Is that you? Come inside, young lady!" A loud voice shouted from inside the house, causing Renee to wince. She sighed and stood, closing the car door with her hip. Dog tried to get a glimpse inside, but the curtains were shielding the windows of the house. Cat's eyes were still closed as he sat in Renee's arms, wondering what on earth he'd gotten him and his brother into. How were they ever gonna get home if they stayed with Renee while looking for a way back? As Cat contemplated this, he didn't realize he was inside until the warmth hit him full in the face. He blinked as he surveyed her living room.

"Welcome to my home." She told them softly. Her living room wasn't large in size; it had a couch and a chair, a long coffee table and a short one, and a television set sat in the corner. Right smack dab in the middle of the room was a small Christmas tree, decorated with garland and ornaments and lights. An angel sat on top, standing crooked against the wreaths in the background. On the coffee table were little knick-knacks, ceramic angels, glass houses and the words 'Noel' spelled out with big 3-D letters. Dog's tongue flopped out of his mouth as he spotted the tree.

"Tree!" He drawled out happily, folding his hands together under his chin. Renee grinned at him. "Your tree looks so pretty, Renee."

"Thank you, Dog." Renee responded quietly. Cat eyed it up and down for a few seconds, his ears lowering as he thought about their special traditions each Christmas. Who knows when they'd get a chance like that again? CatDog continued to glance around at the decorations before they turned to look at the wall to their right when they jumped back in alarm.

"What's the matter?" Renee asked nonchalantly as she began up the stairs to her room. On the wall were eight showcase knives, and a large curio cabinet with even larger knives inside. Lying against it was a long lengthy sword and two katanas. Cat eyed the display and shuddered, imagining if the Greaser Dogs ever got a hold of one of those knifes. He'd be in so much trouble.

Gulping, he answered shakily, "Not a thing." Cat gave his brother a terrified side-long glance before turning to Renee as she threw open her door and shut it closed behind her.

"So where are we gonna sleep?" Dog asked as he gave an unintentional yawn. She stared at him incredulously.

"Are you honestly tired?" She asked him. "You guys slept for at least an hour after I found you guys." She shifted her gaze to Cat as if expecting him to say the same when he raised an eyebrow.

"We cats aren't as restless as dogs, so we have energy to spare." He explained dully as he eyed his brother. Renee nodded and used her arm holding Cat to pat Dog on his arm.

"You can go to sleep, Dog. No worries." Yawning once more, he stretched in Renee's arms.

"Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to…" He trailed off and soon he was out in seconds, snoring lightly in his slumber. Cat sighed and rolled his eyes while Renee blinked at the canine in surprise.

"That was quick." She commented and turned to the slightly older brother. "Is he always so…?" She trailed off as she tried to think of a proper word. The feline crossed his arms and shook his head.

"He's definitely one of a kind." Cat replied and surveyed her room in interest. The small space didn't seem to stop her from keeping a collection of things. Her room was packed with every little thing that could fit into every nook and cranny. Bookshelves and dressers filled to the brim with collectable items. Her walls were pinned with many posters, wall scrolls and calendars. Even a set of laminated stickers were taped to her doors. Stuffed animals and dolls were lining her bed as well as a large circular pillow. "You have a lot of… uh, stuff." He commented as she set them on her small bed, being gentle with Dog as he slept.

"Yeah, I do." She turned and took off her belt and necklace. "It's a hobby of mine to collect things that remind me of the things I love." Sighing, she paused and whirled back as she heard footsteps coming down the hall. "Look, I gotta go get my chores done. So you stay in this room while I'm gone, okay? Don't move." Before Cat had a chance to respond, she flung out of the room, slamming the door shut behind her. Blinking, the feline sat still for a few seconds before examining her room again. Bringing his finger up to his lip, he pondered what he could do.

"Well, I could raid her stuff to see what she has, but that's invasion of privacy." He murmured to himself before his gaze landed on his brother. A devious grin stretched across his face. "I wonder if Renee wears make-up."

xx

Renee worked furiously in the kitchen to finish the dishes. She scrubbed the plates until she felt they were clean before dunking them back into the scalding hot water. Wincing, she completed the last dish and stacked it on the dryer, whirling around to head back to her room before running smack dab into her mother. "Oh, hi mom, I was just…" She trailed off at her mother's look.

"Are you in a hurry, sweetheart?" Sonya asked calmly. Shivers ran down the young Maxell's spine. She really didn't like that look in her mother's eye. Renee gulped and tried to slink around her.

"Well, kind of, I have homework to do and I need to get started on this project…" She mentioned briefly to her mother. Usually, whenever she brought up school, it was the perfect way to get away with doing nothing in her room without getting piled on by chores or odd jobs.

"Oh, is that so? You've got some homework, do you?" Renee could feel her heart thumping hard in her chest as her blood ran ice cold. Her mother knew something. Her eyes widened as she thought about CatDog in her room, by themselves. Did Cat have enough sense to hide when he heard footsteps approaching? Renee forced a grin for her mother as she backed up to the hallway.

"Well, yeah I do. I'll get started on that. I'll be busy for a while, love you, mean it, bye!" She called over her shoulder as she dashed down the hallway before throwing open her door and slamming it shut behind her. She gasped for breath, her lungs burned from anticipation. Renee glanced around her room before spotting the bi-cranial quadruped in the same place she'd last left them. Breathing a sigh of relief, she locked her door and walked to the bed. "You will not believe how suspicious my mother is of…" She trailed off once she approached the two, her eyes widening in surprise at the scene before her. Cat turned to face her and grinned before leaning back to show off his 'masterpiece'. Before him on her pillow lay the slumbering canine, his face heavily covered with her cosmetics.

She gaped, her mouth hanging open. Never in all her years did she ever think she'd see Dog in make-up, except when they were in disguise, but that was a different story. Here, the poor canine was coated heavily in the make-up, looking an awful lot like a run-way model or a clown. Slowly, she turned to face the feline, who had his arms crossed and was looking a little smug. Cat buffed his fingernails on his chest, grinning.

"Is that a work of art or what?" Renee blinked, her eyes focusing as she faced Dog again, who lay oblivious. Suddenly, she burst out laughing, holding her sides as she giggled. Cat's grin widened. Renee fell on her bed beside Cat.

"That's brilliant!" She cried out, high-fiving the feline, who began chuckling at her enthusiasm. "I can't believe you did that. I almost feel sorry for poor Dog. Is he gonna be mad when he wakes up?" She questioned briefly, her grin widening at the different outcomes that entered her mind. Cat's grin turned devious as he rubbed his hands together.

"Let's find out, shall we?" He purred and crept up to Dog silently. Renee watched with her hands plastered over her mouth to keep from giggling. Cat leaned over next to his brother's ear and promptly shouted, "Dog! Garbage truck! Wake up!" Without warning, Dog's eyes popped open and he rocketed into the air, fully awake.

"Garbage truck! Garbage truck! Where is it?" He chanted, his face bright when eagerness. He sprinted to the window to look for it only to frown in disappointment. He turned back to face Renee and Cat, who seemed to be having a tough time keeping their faces composed. "Guys, there wasn't any—"

"HAHAHHAAAAHAHA!" He was cut off by both Renee and Cat bursting out in laughter. Renee pressed her hands over her mouth to keep from alerting her mother, but it was futile. Cat had his face pressed into Renee's pillow, his paws beating on either side of it in his delight. Dog tilted his head in confusion.

"What's so funny?" He asked. Slowly, Renee calmed down enough to look at Dog. Sitting up, she reached for the confused canine and brought him to her vanity mirror. Positioning him on her chair, she turned his face to look into the mirror. Cat sniffed and wiped his eyes with a large grin as he watched. Dog blinked as he focused on the reflection. "Is that me? Why am I wearing make-up?" He questioned, his paws coming up to wipe off the cosmetics. Renee pat Dog on his shoulder, her face apologetic as Cat sniggered behind them.

"Sorry Dog, we couldn't resist a little fun. I mean, you were asleep." She watched as he tried to scrub it off of his face with his paw and took pity on him. Reaching into the vanity's drawer, she pulled out some make-up wipes and began helping him. "You're not mad, are you?" To her relief, he smiled and started laughing as he looked at himself again, watching as Renee cleaned his face.

"Golly, no. I probably would've done the same thing to Cat." He admitted with a grin as he continued laughing, causing Renee to join in. Cat, having heard his brother's confession, leaned around Renee to give him a glare.

"You would what?" Cat asked as Renee finished and threw away the wipes. Dog grinned and crossed his arms, elbowing Renee in her side.

"Say Renee, how about we find out how Cat looks in make-up?" Cat blinked as he processed this new threat against him. Renee grinned and side-glanced at Dog, her eyebrows raised suggestively.

"I'll bet he'll look so prettiful." Renee cooed as she batted her eyelashes and curled her hands under her chin. Cat felt sweat beginning to drip down his forehead and he glared.

"You guys wouldn't dare." The feline growled as his ears lowered dangerously. He turned his back to them, his arms crossed. "Besides, I've already worn make-up and I do say I don't look half bad. But that's the end of this discussion." He demanded as he ground his teeth irritably. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Cat tensed, his ears rising slowly as if they were radars. Dog sniffed the air before darting under Renee's bed, dragging Cat with him. Renee checked to make sure they wouldn't be spotted and unlocked her door, pulling it open as she did to come face to face with her sister, Cassie.

"Um…hey sis, what's the problem?" She asked as she stood in her doorway. Her older sister Cassandra, who was 13 months older by law, glared at her in distrust.

"Don't 'hey sis' me, little sister. I know a guy is in here. Show him to me or I'm telling Mom." She threatened darkly, her teal eyes roaming the room quickly. Underneath the canopy of Renee's covers, CatDog shook in fear at the hatefulness of Cassie's tone. Silently, the feline crept to the edge of the shade. He peeked out to get a quick look at Renee's older sister. Cat quickly scurried back next to his brother, shivering with his eyes wide.

"I think she may be related to Shriek." He and Dog both shuddered. They both paused when Renee took a deep breath.

"There aren't any guys in my room, Cass. I promise." She replied sincerely, her eyes wide with innocence. Cassie glared, her face turning a nice shade of red.

"Don't lie to me. I know I heard a guy's voice." She insisted angrily. Slowly, her eyes moved to Renee's bed. A sadistic smirk made her lips curl over her teeth, making Renee's eyes widen. "Okay, show me what's under your bed, and I'll believe you." She demanded, her grin widening when she saw her sister's face pale.


	4. The Conflict

**That Fateful Night  
****Chapter 4**

**Xx**

_**Previously on TFN…**_

"_There aren't any guys in my room, Cass. I promise." She replied sincerely, her eyes wide with innocence. Cassie glared, her face turning a nice shade of red. _

"_Don't lie to me. I know I heard a guy's voice." She insisted angrily. Slowly, her eyes moved to Renee's bed. A sadistic smirk made her lips curl over her teeth, making Renee's eyes widen. "Okay, show me what's under your bed, and I'll believe you." She demanded, her grin widening when she saw her sister's face pale._

**Xx**

Silence stretched in the room uneasily, making Renee's heart thud in her chest in her nervousness. She'd never in her life experienced such tension in her own sanctuary. She gulped and turned wide, frenzied eyes to her sister.

"Um…" Renee stuttered and forced a wide grin on her face, sweat sticking to her forehead. "Sure, okay. Yeah, I'll show you…" She muttered and crept slowly to her bed and knelt before it. Cassie watched her closely, her eyes taking in every move her sister made.

"Hurry up, would you? I wanna bust you before tomorrow." The younger sister rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Okay, come on out…" The younger Maxell coaxed softly to warn the brothers as she lay down on her stomach and shuffled underneath her canopy, coming face to face with the feline and canine.

"What are we gonna do, Renee?" Dog whispered as he held onto his brother tightly, Cat's arms around him just as snug. "What do you want us to do?" He asked softly. Renee's mouth twisted, quivering slightly at the fear in Dog's eyes before she looked at Cat.

"Couldn't you just say there's nothing under the bed?" The more intellectual brother asked skeptically. Renee gave him a deadpan look.

"And you really think she'd believe that?" She hissed at him, ignoring his eye roll.

"What if we just show her that we're a CatDog? She likes animals, right, Renee?" Dog asked softly. The young girl sighed and shook her head as she cradled her chin in her hand.

"I really don't know how my sister would take to you two being…connected." She whispered dejectedly. Cat narrowed his eyes.

"Wait a second…didn't you say that you watched us on TV?" He asked suspiciously. "Shouldn't that mean that she did too?" Renee growled as her lip curled in frustration. Her forehead connected with the carpet as she moaned into it.

"You don't understand." She grumbled. "The show _CatDog_ is a very old cartoon, dating back to the 1990s. They cancelled it sometime in 1999 I think, but I'm not too sure. When I watched cartoons, like _CatDog_, Cassie was always on the computer." Renee explained until she felt a foot nudge her ankle and she cringed.

"Renee, what's going on under there? You aren't making out with your boyfriend before I throw him out, are you?" Cassie called out to her sister, making Renee's eyes widen. In her shock, she smacked her head underneath the bed and whimpered in pain. She could almost see the smirk on her face.

"No!" Renee shouted. "There's no one under here to make-out with –!" Renee suddenly blanched and cleared her throat before glancing at Cat and Dog. "Sorry…" She mumbled in apology when she caught Cat's surprised expression and Dog's confusion.

"Sure there isn't." Cassie grumbled. Renee sent a glare over her shoulder at her sister.

"There's not! Honest!" She told her sibling, trying desperately to change the subject from kissing to what was under her bed.

"Riiight…" Cat drawled with a smirk in her direction and crossed his arms. Renee turned and blinked before she glowered at him, clenching her fists.

"**Anyway**," She stressed through her teeth. "We have to bring one of you guys out there and show her that there are no guys in my room, just…" Suddenly, Renee paused and a grin came onto her face. She looked both of them in the eyes. "We just have to show my sister that there are no guys in my room." She repeated, her tone indicating she'd just had an epiphany.

Cat's eyebrows lowered as he gave her a dry look.

"Hate to break it to you, oh point-out-the-obvious one, but… we are guys." The feline whispered as his eyes narrowed. Dog nodded in agreement. Renee stared blankly at him for a few seconds before rolling her eyes exasperatedly.

"I know that!" She whispered, glaring. "But she doesn't!"

"Renee, what's taking so long?" Cassie's irritated voice cut through her own aggravation. Renee flinched and glanced behind her.

"No, I meant that you two aren't human beings! Don't you see?" She whispered. "In this world, to everyone else, you guys are just gonna look like regular cats and dogs that don't talk or lead normal lives." She told them, desperately hoping they'd understand. Dog raised a finger.

"But we do talk and lead normal lives." He objected softly. Cat and Renee sighed simultaneously before the girl turned to the smarter brother.

"Here, let me explain…you are a regular cat that plays with yarn and cuddles with humans for attention," She pointed at the feline for emphasis. "And you are a dog that chases balls and goes on walks," She continued, pointing at the canine, who blinked back at her in curious confusion, his ears perking slightly at the words 'ball' and 'walk'. Cat blinked before pointing at his brother.

"But Dog already chases balls and goes on walks…" He told her.

"Yeah, but normal cats and dogs don't 'talk'… and since you two aren't technically 'guys', meaning you're not human boys, I can pass you two off as strays!" Renee concluded, grinned nervously and waited with baited breath as they processed her plan. Dog cocked his head in confusion.

"Why strays–" Dog began but Renee quickly shook her head.

"Only one of you will do, now come on!" The young girl quickly interrupted before her frantic blue eyes landed on the feline. "She's a cat person, so you're coming out with me, Cat! Dog, you stay under the bed and try to be as silent as you can! We have to get out there before she goes and gets my mother!"

Cat's eyes widened and Dog blinked in surprise. The feline quickly shook his head and waved his hands before him in refusal, an indignant grimace on his face.

"Wait, hold on a minute! I'm not so sure –" Renee promptly cut him off by snatching his wrist.

"No time!" She tugged on Cat's wrist as he protested.

"Come on! Dog's nicer than I am!" The feline cried softly as he frantically tried to scurry back under the bed. Renee groaned and pulled harder.

"She's not much of a dog person!" Renee grunted quietly before she felt the air stiffen around them. The two of them barely had time to register they were out in the open and quieted immediately, blinking at one another. Renee slowly turned to her sister and noticed her looking at Cat with wide, shocked eyes. She laughed anxiously and slipped her hands underneath Cat's arms and pulled him into her lap.

"There we go…" She murmured like she was trying to console a frightened animal before she leaned down to his ear after seeing his frustrated frown.

"What are you doing? I don't have to be in your lap to be a normal cat!" Cat demanded softly, glaring at her. He tried to sit up but much to his surprise, Renee wrapped her arms around his torso, keeping him rooted.

"Nice kitties do, and stay still! Be good, please, Cat? Just for a few moments, I promise!" Renee pleaded with wide eyes as she whispered in his ear. "I'll owe you big time." She added. Cat stared at her for a few seconds before rolling his eyes and let himself lay limp in her lap as he glared up at the ceiling with irritated eyes. The youngest Maxell grinned softly at him in thanks, breathing a sigh of relief before glancing at her sister.

Under the bed, Dog sighed as his arms tightened slightly around the bed's leg. "Please hurry, Renee…" He murmured and clenched his eyes shut.

"What… is that doing here?" Cassie asked. Renee hesitantly leaned up and traced a finger gently across Cat's forehead, petting him like she would a real cat as he eyed her sister cautiously. When he felt her finger on his head, he blinked up at her with a raised eyebrow and she shrugged with a sheepish grin. He sighed in defeat. As her finger twirled across his head, she realized just how soft his fur was. Renee turned to face her sister.

"Oh, this little guy? I found him on the side of the street and couldn't leave him there, so I brought him home!" She cooed as she cuddled the irked feline close to her. She heard him grunt and released him slightly and was so proud when he did nothing more than narrow his eyes further at her.

"How long is this going to take?" He mouthed to Renee but stopped cold when he felt a hand tracing the fur on his stomach and Ren blinked curiously as he stiffened. Looking down almost simultaneously, Renee and Cat saw Cassie kneeling down beside him and stroking his fur almost lazily, much to their annoyance. Cat shuddered as the two sisters continued to stroke his fur and forced himself to stay silent.

"He's a cute little guy, isn't he?" Cassandra asked, her hand scratching Cat's fur idly as she blinked up at her sister. Renee blinked and felt a small grin on her face at her luck. She couldn't help but cuddle Cat in her happiness. He sighed and closed his eyes, his ears flattening against his skull, just wishing he could tell her to back off a bit, but remained still.

"Yes, so… you won't tell Mom I have him, will you?" The younger Maxell asked hopefully, giving her sister the most innocent pleading face she could muster. Cassie shrugged, her eyes locked completely on her hand as it traced patterns around the darkened fur oval on Cat's chest. The feline followed her finger cautiously.

"I don't know, I mean, she has a right to know… but…" She trailed off, almost seeming to have forgotten her real reason for going in Renee's room before her eyes traced along Cat's stomach and underneath the canopy. Cassie blinked and reached for the bed. "Hey, why's he half under the bed?"

Renee froze and felt Cat raise his head slightly with wide eyes to stare at the older Maxell girl. "What are you –"

"You don't even know how to care for a cat." Cassie interrupted and raised an eyebrow at her sister, pointing to the canopy. "You're probably making him uncomfortable, Renee. Here, let the poor guy up." Renee stared at her for a few seconds before glancing down at the feline in her lap.

There was a brief pause as he looked up at her, uncertain before he rolled over on his stomach and army-crawled toward the canopy. Once he was safely under, he poked his head out to glance at Renee. He blinked in surprise when Cassie kneeled in front of him. Her large teal eyes were so close he could almost count the individual red veins in her eyes and he grimaced, his lip curling.

"There, don't you feel better?" She cooed at him before she turned back to her sister. Cat glared at her, mocking her under his breath. "He's a cute cat, Renee, but do you really think Mom will let you keep him?" Renee let out the breath she was holding and held a hand to her chest, trying to calm her racing heartbeat. She shrugged and sent Cat a grateful grin, murmuring a 'thank you' in his direction, to which he just rolled his eyes, mouthing 'whatever'.

"Oh, yeah, um… I don't know. I don't plan on keeping him for that long. Just until I can find a way to get him back home." Renee answered truthfully and shifted her gaze back to Cat, noticing he was still watching her, an eyebrow raised. "I promise." She murmured to him and Cat blinked.

Suddenly, Cassie reached out, her hands ducking under the bed and gripping Cat beneath his arms, heaving him from under the bed. Cat nearly blew his 'normal cat' act with a rather loud yelp, which he quickly covered up to sound like a strangled meow. Renee winced as her sister practically dragged him out, a little too forcefully for her liking.

"Honestly, why are you under there? We won't hurt you!" She grumbled before tugging Cat from the bed only to realize he wouldn't come all the way out. Cat nearly squeaked in alarm and Renee panicked, her eyes wide at the scene before her.

"Hey, don't scare him, Cass! Put him down!" She shouted to her sister before scurrying under the bed to see Dog gripping the leg of the bed like it was his life line. He cracked open an eye and saw her. Dog whined helplessly, both his eyes shot open with confusion and fright.

"Can I let go yet?" He felt another tug from Cassie and winced. Renee watched Dog for another few seconds before growling and clenching her fists.

"Oh Dog, you just hang on for a second longer, okay? I'll get her to stop pulling." Renee told him before disappearing.

Sitting up, she saw Cassie had succeeded in pulling the poor feline on her lap, trapping his arms by his sides in the process. Looking closer, she caught a glimpse of Cat's peeved expression and mouthed an apology to him and before she looked away, she saw his lip curl in anger as he struggled to free himself.

"Uh… sis, let the poor creature go." Renee tried, reaching a hand out to the two to see if she could tug Cat from her sister's embrace.

"Huh?" Cassie looked at her before glancing down at the cat in her arms. Cat's ears were flat against his skull and his eyes were narrowed so far, Renee didn't think they'd ever let up.

"Aw… I think he likes me, Renee." Cassie grinned as she squeezed Cat tightly, causing him to let loose an unintentional squeak. He was positively radiating in anger by this point. Renee watched this exchange as her head tilted slightly. She blinked and raised an eyebrow when Cat turned his furiously narrowed eyes to her and practically screamed 'HELP' with his expression.

"No… no, I don't think he does at all." She said impassively. The younger Maxell carefully held her arms out for him.

"Come on, let him go. He actually looks pissed at you, Cassie. I think you shouldn't have squeezed him." Renee kept her gaze locked onto Cat's face. Her sister stuck her tongue out.

"Oh you're just jealous because he likes me more." Cassandra responded and then began to dot his face in a series of smooches as she coddled him before she finally let him go. He took no time in his escape.

Cat, decidedly freaked out of his mind and beyond annoyed, scrambled to the bed and dove underneath it like he was on fire, not even coming back out to glare at Cassie. Renee watched him in surprise before glaring at her sister as she pointed to the bed.

"See, look at what you did. You frightened him with your face and insulted his feline hood." She scolded her sister and wagged a finger in her direction, but she was otherwise glad that Cat hadn't attacked her in his attempt to get away.

That definitely wouldn't have gone good.

Cassie rolled her eyes with a scoff and stood, wiping any excess hairs off her shirt. "Whatever, look, I'll be back later to play with him. Don't kill him until then and I won't tell mom." Her sister announced before shutting the door behind her.

"Riiight…" She drawled and crossed her arms. "I'm going to kill him, sure." Renee stared at the door for a split second before bolting up and locking it quickly, sighing in relief as she slid down the doorframe.

"Okay you guys, she's gone." She announced and crawled over to lift the canopy to glance at them. What she saw made her heart ache in guilt.

The poor canine was still shaking with strain to keep his grip on the bed leg, despite the fact Cat was already there and trying to pry his arms loose from the post.

"Oh Dog…" The young girl murmured. "Sweetie, you can let go now. She's gone." Renee called to him quietly as Dog cracked open an eye to glance at her. He nodded slowly and let his arms drop like stones onto the carpet and let out a whimper. The young girl smiled and held her arms out for him.

"Come on, sweetheart." Renee spoke softly to the canine and watched with sympathetic eyes as he crawled to her and allowed her to slide him out from under her bed. Cat followed with a deep glare etched into his brow. Renee reached up to stroke Cat's back as he hit the floor belly-side down on the carpet, his face hidden in the floor while she scratched Dog behind his ears. "I'm so sorry about that, you guys. I really didn't know she was gonna do any of that–"

Cat abruptly lifted his head and glared at her. "Don't ever… let that girl come near me again." He told her firmly, his expression bordering rage and annoyance before his head hit the carpet again. She blinked before nodding.

"Sure, of course, no problem. No more Cassie," She told him and smiled when Dog nodded. "For both of you." Renee sighed and placed her hands on both of their heads, stroking her fingers simultaneously across their foreheads. They blinked in surprise at the affectionate gesture and turned to share a glance before she sat Dog on the floor next to his brother. Cat sighed and lifted himself up.

"Well… since we're here and obviously not going anywhere anytime soon, we might as well get acquainted more." The feline grumbled as he propped himself up against her dresser and crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes. Renee stared at him before glancing at Dog, who nodded with a grin.

"Yeah, I mean… you know pretty much all about us, right?" The canine asked and leaned against the dresser as well, looking up at Renee expectantly. The young girl blinked and slapped her forehead.

"Oh… duh..." She mumbled and shook her head. "How can I expect you guys to trust me when you don't know a thing about me other than I used to watch you two on TV?" She ranted and sat cross-legged in front of them. "Okay, what would you wanna know? I mean, besides the fact that I have a mother and sister." Cat put a finger to his chin in thought as his eyes rolled to the ceiling. Dog blinked before a smile crossed his face as something occurred to him and he pointed a finger at her.

"Where's your dad been?" He asked with wide, innocent eyes before he turned to look at Cat with a smile, completely missing the way Renee's expression twisted painfully. She immediately lowered her head as her hair shadowed her eyes from view. "I haven't heard about him yet, nor seen him around." He mentioned. Cat turned from his brother to Renee and seemed to tense up as he glanced at their host uneasily. Gulping slightly, his ears lowered and he reached out a hand to his sibling to stop him.

"Dog –"

"I saw pictures of him in the hallway," The canine mentioned obliviously. Cat glared at his brother.

"Dog, wait –" He tried again, but was cut off.

"He looks like a very nice man and you and your mother and sister looked very happy in the photo and I –" Dog began but quickly quieted when Cat unexpectedly slapped the back of his head. He yelped in surprise as his head throbbed and he turned to glare at his brother.

"What was that for?" The feline's eyes narrowed even further before he held his arm out to Renee, gesturing to her with his sharp eyes. Slowly, Dog turned to her before he gasped.

Renee knelt before them, her face now hidden from view as a steady stream of tears slid down her cheeks. Her shoulders shook from suppressed sobs and her hands clenched into fists as they gripped tightly onto the carpet, her failing attempt to contain herself. The small muscles in her arms quivered with strain but her hold did not let up.

Quickly, Cat glared at his brother sternly and smacked his arm. His brother whimpered in fright.

"Look what you did, Dog! You made her upset!" The feline scolded and Dog hunched up, looking downright ashamed of himself as his ears lowered pitifully.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to –!"

"No…" Renee spoke in a strained voice. Cat turned to her with wide eyes and Dog grimaced as her voice cracked slightly. "No, it's fine. My dad… he's… he's, erm…" She tried and blinked rapidly, trying to dissolve the tears that were threatening to overflow her eyes again, but more followed soon after. Cat, looking panicked, grabbed his ears in desperation and groaned. Dog whined and crawled over to her, nudging her arm with his nose. She sniffed.

"You don't have to answer it." Dog murmured softly and slipped his hands through her arm, hugging it to him gently to offer her some comfort. Renee cut her watery eyes to him with a small smile and shook her head.

"My dad's dead…" She breathed softly as she hiccupped with another sob.

Cat glanced at his brother's wide-eyed expression before meeting her red-eyed gaze and he winced, his ears lowering significantly in shame. Slowly, he made his way over to her free side. With a tiny frown, he reached up hesitantly and wiped away the trail of tears from her cheek before repeating the gesture to the other side of her face. Renee watched him before she closed her eyes and her head bowed as more tears came.

"No, no more tears..." Cat murmured softly, almost soothingly, to her. The young girl cracked open her eyes to glance at him. Her bright blue eyes pierced through him and his frown seemed to deepen. Without even realizing what he was doing, he reached out and cupped her face in hands as he ran his thumbs under her eyes to dry her tears once more, bringing her face closer to his for emphasis. "You shouldn't cry, Renee…" He told her quietly. "You look so much better with a smile on your face." Cat forced himself to hold her gaze, trying to calm her down as his thumbs ran over her reddened cheeks.

"Yeah…" Dog piped up, almost in a whisper, from the other side of Renee. Cat's hands slipped from her face and Renee turned to glance at Dog. "Please smile." The canine pleaded, glancing up at her with large, pitiful eyes. Renee groaned and wiped at her eyes with her hands. In one quick motion, she wrapped her arms around the brothers and pulled them to her in a hug, burying her face in the top of their heads.

"Thanks you guys…" She murmured and sniffed, laughing quietly as she released them. Cat and Dog shared a grin and high-fived. Renee sighed and brought her knees up to her chest, resting her chin on them. "So, what do you wanna do now?" She asked them.

"You're gonna be okay, aren't you?" Cat asked, either concerned or just not wanting another crying girl to deal with. Dog nodded.

"Yeah, we don't want you to be sad, Renee." The canine told her with a large smile on his face. Renee blinked at them and closed her eyes, her forehead connecting with her knees. The brothers exchanged a worried look.

Memories from her father leaked into her thoughts, overwhelming her and literally forcing her to cry in remorse. "No." She murmured softly. Their ears twitched as they strained to hear her softly spoken word.

"Hey, you're not gonna –" Cat began and was unexpectedly interrupted by another sob. The feline, startled out of his mind, turned to Dog with a bewildered expression. "What do we do?" Cat asked, his eyes wide in panic. His brother glanced from Renee to Cat in alarm before he paused. Cat stopped and noticing the way his sibling's gaze was glazed, he sighed.

Dog blinked, staring at something unseen before his ears perked. "Hey, I think I hear someone–" The canine began before a knock came at the door. The brothers blanched and stiffened. Renee quieted as she listened.

"Renee!" A mature woman's voice called through the door and the knob jiggled furiously. "Why are you still locked up in your room, sweetie? You should have finished your homework long ago." Renee lifted her head slowly from her knees and locked her gazes at them. "You'd better open this door now. You know I don't like locked doors in this house, young lady." Almost immediately, she saw how panicked they were and quickly scrambled to her feet, wiping her eyes at the same time.

"Oh, yeah, Mom!" The young girl called to her mother as she quickly came to a decision. The most important decision she'd ever make in her young life.

She opened her closet and tugged out a knapsack as CatDog watched her movements with wide-eyes. She threw the bag on her bed and began stuffing clothes, items and other various things in it. "I'm just… enjoying some 'me time'. No biggie!" Renee continued cheerfully and it was almost like she was never sad in the first place. She turned to CatDog, still sitting on the floor and were now giving the door a wary glance.

"Well, you need to come downstairs and help your sister clean the den! It's a mess down there and we have guests tomorrow!" Her mother continued with a stern tone and gave the door knob one last try. "In five minutes, I'll come back to get you if I find out you've disobeyed me." And with that parting statement, she was gone. Renee grumbled under her breath as she packed her bag with anything she could think of while the brothers watched her curiously.

"What are you doing, Renee? Your mom wants you downstairs to… clean, it sounded like. And she sounded like she meant it." Cat told her with his finger extended as his eyes followed her around her room. She paused and glanced at him.

"I'm leaving." She announced, causing Cat and Dog's mouths to drop. She didn't even stop to consider their reactions as she hoisted the bag over her shoulder and opened her window. "Come on, let's go."

"Whoa, wait a second!" Cat yelped frantically as he glared at her, hard. He threw his arms behind him at the door, indicating her mother and sister. "What about them? You're going to leave them? Just like that?" He growled through clenched teeth, looking thoroughly outraged at her actions.

"Renee, at least think about what you're doing!" Dog pleaded with her as he blinked at her wide-eyed from the floor as the severity of the situation hit him. Renee sighed and stepped away from the window.

"Look guys… I love you both very much." She told them and rubbed the back of her neck. "But I just can't handle staying here while you guys are with me. My mother is overbearing and my sister is nosy." She admitted before she grinned. "So, I'm going to take you with me while I go and visit Alex for a while." Her grin faltered when Cat's eyes narrowed dangerously and he crossed his arms. Dog looked worried.

"I'm not going with you." Cat stated firmly. Renee groaned and threw her head back in exasperation.

"Come on, Cat –" Renee began but Cat cut her off with a fierce wave of his arm.

"No. If you're going to run away from your family, then I don't see the point in staying with you any longer." He told her. Renee rolled her eyes and waved off his statement with a hand.

"No, you don't understand, my mother is just –"

"No, I don't understand." Cat interrupted with an icy glare. "But at least you've got a mother." He spat.

He was very aware when the air stilled around him but he never took his eyes off Renee. She stood there, her eyes wide and her mouth agape as his words hit her over and over again. Dog whimpered softly to himself, already sick of the conflict.

"Cat, don't you think you're being a little bit… harsh?" The canine murmured to his brother and Cat turned his icy eyes to him, making Dog flinch. Cat threw his arm to Renee.

"Don't you think what she's doing is even worse? She's abandoning her mother and sister, Dog!" He exclaimed angrily. He turned to glare at her again but started in surprise to see Renee kneeling before him. He glowered at her.

"What?" He snapped and she winced.

"Cat…" Dog murmured, either in exhaustion or warning, he didn't know. The intellectual brother glanced at the canine before turning back to the young girl. Her eyes were downcast and her shoulders were hunched as she sat on her knees, her fists in front of her. She took a deep breath and looked Cat in the eyes. She nearly lost her nerve at the cold stare he was giving her.

She was almost amazed at how suddenly he could change his mood.

"Look," The feline started, his hard eyes never leaving hers. "I…we agreed to stay with you for the time being until we could find a way to get back to Nearburg, back to our home." The more he spoke, the softer his voice got. "If I had known you would give up on your family, I would've left you in front of that abandoned house and never looked back. You were too trusting, too kind, and too naïve, which is probably what made me agree in the first place." He told her and his expression softened for a second as he regarded her before the glare was back. "But now, seeing you about to leave your own house and abandon your family…" He trailed off with a growl.

"I just can't accept that. Maybe me and Dog should just leave. You clearly don't have the compassion I thought you did." His voice was deafening as it rang throughout the room. Renee felt her eyes widen and her breathing hitched in her throat.

"Cat…" She spoke his name softly and very timidly reached out her hand to grasp his, but he pulled away from her.

Her hand fell softly to her side and she sighed.

Without a word, she dropped the bag from her shoulders on the floor next to her. Cat glanced at it before turning his narrowed eyes back to her. She bowed her head as her heart ached in her chest and she bit her lip. Beside the irate feline, Dog was itching to reach out and comfort her but he knew what Cat was trying to do. He was trying to make Renee feel guilty about her decision. And it looked to be working.

Renee couldn't believe it. She simply couldn't wrap her mind around it. The feline in front of her was intentionally making her feel so many emotions at once; she couldn't even begin to decipher them.

Shock, guilt, sadness, shame… the list went on.

She gulped as her muscles quivered. She had no idea how he was controlling her like he was, but she had a feeling she knew. She wanted his acceptance. She wanted his friendship. She wanted… no, she needed his kindness. She needed his sarcastic humor. She needed his trust.

Slowly, she lifted her head to look at him again and felt her heart skip a beat as an urge came over her she never felt before. Cat's eyes were still narrowed in a way that she could tell he was still pissed, but she could also see past his anger and saw his concern. Renee sat up and edged closer to him to reach for his hands, prying them from his body.

Surprisingly, he let her.

He watched her in aggravation and confusion. Hesitantly, a sad smile crossed her lips as she held his hands in her own and pulled his stiff body closer. Narrowed eyes watched her cautiously as his ears laid back.

"What are you planning on doing now?" He asked, his voice sounding loud in the silent room. Renee felt his breath hit her face and she forced herself to keep from blushing. That would do nothing for either of them. Dog watched them with wide eyes from the sidelines, looking like he was either about to turn away in embarrassment or bring forth a bucket of popcorn to watch the show.

"If I stay," She spoke slowly, her voice soft. "Will you stay too?" She asked, her voice cracking near the end. Cat blinked and raised his eyebrows, looking somewhat surprised before he composed himself. Leaning away, he brushed off her grip and waved a hand in dismissal.

"Maybe," He remarked idly before a vicious grin split his face. "And maybe not." Cat's grin turned into a smirk as Renee's face paled.

"What do you mean 'maybe'?" She whined and gripped her hair. "Come on, cut me some slack! At least I'm trying to do the right thing, here!" She exclaimed. To her surprise, Cat snickered. Renee gaped before she glared at him and she crossed her arms, pouting and turning away from him.

"You're mean." She stated and stuck her tongue out at him. Cat rolled his eyes and propped an arm on Dog's shoulder for support, causing the canine to grin at the turn of events.

"And you're too dramatic." The feline remarked and inspected his claws. Renee paused and cut her eyes to him, watching as his buffed his fingers on his chest with a proud grin on his face. She smiled and relaxed.

They were staying, she realized. Cat was giving her another chance. Sighing in relief, she blinked in surprise at seeing both Cat and Dog's gazes on her.

"What?" She mumbled, looking a little self-conscious. Cat's grin widened marginally.

"Don't you have some chores to do?" The intellectual brother drawled and chuckled when her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. She slapped her forehead as she scrambled to her feet and fumbled for the door.

"Darn it!" She growled and wrenched open the door, flying down the stairs. Cat and Dog shared a knowing grin before Renee's face came back into view in her doorway. She glared at them sternly and pointed to the floor in front of them. They both simultaneously looked down at it.

"Stay." She ordered. Cat rolled his eyes and Dog nodded happily, saluting her. Cat shooed her away and grabbed the door knob to close it.

"Yes, ma'am." He sarcastically mimicked Dog's salute. He then slammed it shut in her face and cheerfully locked the door with a large grin. He turned to Dog who glanced back. After a short pause, Cat spoke up.

"Wanna make long distance calls on her cell phone?" Cat asked deviously as he rubbed his hands together, his ears forming to look like devil horns. Dog blinked at his brother before a grin as conniving as Cat's formed on his face.

"Absolutely." 

**Xx**

**Erm… **

**Yay dramatic tension. I'm quite happy with this chapter.**

**Enjoy. ;D**


	5. Unexpected Surprises

**That Fateful Night  
The Sole Survivor**

**Chapter FIVE**

**xx**

_"Please...don't do this..."_

Renee whimpered as tears streamed down her cheeks in waterfalls, an end to them nowhere in sight. Her hair was a messy ponytail, her bangs flying everywhere about her face as the wind being created from the powerful source before them whirled about. The strands of dark copper slapped her in the forehead but at the moment, she couldn't care less about the condition of her hair or her skin.

"I need you...with me..." She pleaded and clenched her eyes shut as more tears trailed out before opening them again. Her voice rose. "Just for a little bit longer, we can find another way... I-I promise I'll -"

"And how long will that be? Months? Years?" Cat snapped back at her quietly, almost as if he were afraid to upset the atmosphere. Lil' V stayed quiet throughout the whole ordeal, despite having acknowledged their presence when they first arrived. The feline's ears lowered to his skull, either in irritation or shame and he turned his steely gaze to the floor. "We can't stay here the rest of our lives, Renee. We need to go home and this is probably the only way we can."

Dog quickly turned away, avoiding her tearful gaze when she turned helplessly to him. His shoulders were hunched as his chest heaved with fright and anxiety. His arms were itching to turn to the girl behind him and comfort her, tell her they'll always be there for her and that they'll never leave her because she had been the best friend the two brothers could've ever hoped for. But one quick glance from his brother kept him frozen in place and his mouth clamped shut.

Renee swallowed thickly, her mouth already dry. She licked her chapped lips and sighed silently to herself. It felt surreal. She was very tempted to rush forward and sweep them both into her arms, not allowing them to leave her. But Cat, seeming to sense her thoughts, sent her a firm glare out of the corner of his eye that kept her firmly rooted to the spot.

The three of them were in the abandoned old house again. Although something seemed very off from the last time she was there, she couldn't recall what it was. Everything had a fuzzy feel to it. But the swirling vortex spiriling from the ceiling in the room and the suspicion of knowing something was out of place wasn't what was making her cry.

The feline and canine duo attached at the waist had her full and undivided attention. They were the cause of her tears. They were the cause of everything she was feeling right then and she almost wanted to hate them for it but knew, with everything within her, that she couldn't bring herself to.

Cat and Dog were sitting close, with Renee a few feet behind them, before the cracked stone, but instead of glowing, it had a dark ominous feel to it, like the rest of the house had. Something was off about the rock too, it seemed more... dangerous. More of a threat. Renee eyed it warily, too afraid to make any moves against it. She didn't trust the thing before and she sure as heck wasn't about to trust it now, especially when the two brothers next to it while it was glowing that odd, eerie color.

Despite her protests to the whole plan and opting to find a different way to get them back to Nearburg, Cat, with Dog reluctantly agreeing, decided that going back to where they'd popped out of would be a good place to start. The feline had quizzed her nonstop, asking the most direct questions and not taking a hesitant, "I don't know," from her as a satisfying answer. When he figured he'd obtained all the necessary information, they'd set out (or rather, Cat barged forcefully out the front door with a confused Dog being drug behind), whether she was coming with them or not. She ended up sprinting after them despite her reservations. As soon as they'd arrived at the old house, she'd had a funny feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"Cat and Dog of Nearburg..." Lil' V began darkly and Renee shivered, goosebumps appearing on her arms. She rubbed at her shoulder absently as she glanced at the side of Cat's face nervously. He appeared a little shaken by the seemingly demonic aura of the situation, but he was otherwise determined. Dog's expression was truly terrified and he looked like he wanted nothing more than to flee from the house and hide in a reclusive place somewhere far away from the stone. Though with Cat as stubborn as he was, the canine knew they wouldn't be going anywhere except home from there, so he steeled his nerves as best he could and dug his nails into the floorboard. "You wish to...return home?" It questioned, sounding vaguely surprised.

Cat nodded, a serious look in his eyes.

"Yes, we want to return home. Now." He demanded harshly after sending the girl behind him a swift look. She winced in reply.

The stone rotated on its axis, as if looking in a different direction. "You do not enjoy your gift, Renee Maxell?"

The girl blinked at the question, letting out a small sound of surprise. Feeling self-conscious from feeling CatDog's eyes on her, she lowered her gaze and swallowed thickly, knowing what Cat wanted her to say. She wanted so badly to just scream that she wanted them to stay with her - even if just for a few more hours. Though in her heart, she knew that was selfish to keep them there longer than they wanted to be. She pursed her lips to keep them from trembling.

"No, it's...I just...It's not that I..." She sighed, defeated, knowing there was nothing she could say to change Cat's mind. "Just...send them home." She whispered hoarsely. It was silent in the room and Renee felt her heart thud in her chest.

"...Very well. They shall return where they belong." Suddenly, the stone began shaking violently and the black hole that had been recently dormant grew wider and spun faster in the ceiling, taking up the entire expanse of the top half of the room. Her eyes widened and darted back to the conjoined brothers as they began to slowly levitate toward the swirling vortex. Her eyes widened and she reached for them, fear gripping her. She couldn't lose them. Not when she was just beginning to realize how much she needed them in her life. Slowly, she watched them float toward the ceiling. Their eyes mirrored the same amount of fear and distrust, but only Dog's eyes were unwaveringly locked onto hers. She watched him with tears steadily blocking her vision. He reached out an arm toward her, uncertain of the fate that awaited them on the other side. Cat stared at the ceiling, his eyes narrowed in unbelieving concentration as he struggled not to turn around, his tense back the only thing she could make out through her blurry vision.

Renee scrambled up from the floor and snatched Dog's outstretched hand, one last attempt at a memorable farewell. "I'll miss you, Dog." She murmured softly, smiling at him. He smiled back brightly, tightening his grip.

"I'll miss you too, Renee." The canine whimpered as a few tears rolled down his nose. What happened next surprised her. As soon as Dog's hand slid out of hers, Cat's hand replaced his, just as snug if not tighter. Renee's breath caught in her throat.

"Cat…" She whispered, tears leaking from her eyes like a rushing waterfall. The feline blinked, as if unsure of why he made such a move, but didn't let go. His gaze went from their conjoined hands to her eyes. He had a deep thoughtful look on his face, his ears tipped forward in a way that made her think he was trying to push past his stubborn side for the sake of her feelings. Cat's eyes searched hers for a second before a bright grin lit up his face. Renee's eyes widened and she quickly tightened her hand around his, not wanting him to leave just yet.

"Don't worry, Renee." Cat told her as he grinned. "If I know you as well as I think I do, we'll see you again soon, I'm sure." He laughed as he jerked his hand free and soon, they yanked up into the black hole and vanished with an audible pop! Then they were gone. The vortex vanished in the blink of an eye and Lil' V's glow dimmed and faded completely. Renee sat silently, blinking up at the ceiling with wide, teary eyes as if expecting them to come falling through by some miracle. No sound. No voices. Nothing. The sudden truth of what had just occured crashed into her, making her stomach clench tightly in response. Her chest heaved and she pressed a shaking hand to her mouth to attempt to stifle what she knew was to be the worst crying session of her young life. The tears engulfed her vision before she had time to comprehend them and she soon found herself wracking with sobs. She threw herself onto the wood floor and screeched loudly in despair.

**xx**

"_NOOOOOOOO_!" She shrieked before bolting upright in her bed, her eyes wide and streaming heavily with tears. CatDog, who had been peacefully snoozing over her covers at the foot of her bed, were so startled out of their slumber that they tumbled off the mattress in a mess of flailing arms and landed on the carpet below with a loud thud. Renee blinked wide-eyed, staring vacantly at something only she could see. She held a hand over her heart, grimacing when it continued to pound unmercilessly in her ribcage. That dream had been way too real. She was brought out of her musings at the groans of pain from the floor. She winced and leaned over the side of her bed to give them a sheepish grin, sweat sticking to her forehead. She really hoped her mother and sister were deep sleepers.

"Haha...sorry about that, guys..." She murmured hoarsely. "Guess I had a little night scare." The scream that brought her out of the dream had scratched her throat up pretty bad and made it hard to talk louder than she was. Renee took in a shakey breath, trying to will her heart to slow. Her erratically pounding muscle was causing her ribcage to ache and she pressed a trembling palm on the smooth skin of her chest through the folds of her pajama shirt.

Cat blinked in shock, still flat on his back on the carpet before glaring up at her, rubbing the back of his head.

"Is this gonna become a regular thing with you?" The feline grumbled as he heaved himself into a sitting position before he noticed the expression on her face. He blinked and his eyebrows shot up incredulously. Dog halfway pushed himself from the floor and shook his head. He looked a bit dazed from the faceplant he'd endured and glanced at his brother in confusion when he noticed Cat had stiffened. He followed the feline's gaze and carefully sat up to give Renee a concerned look. He slowly reached out for her when he realized just how completely terrified she looked and drew his hand back when she sniffled softly.

"Renee... are you okay?" Dog asked quietly. The young girl swallowed thickly. She avoided their gaze and glanced at the bedside clock absentmindedly as though to prolong her response. The bright numbers read four o'clock in the morning and she groaned, falling back on the cool pillows with a hand over her eyes. Cat and Dog exchanged a glance before peering over the edge of the bed at their host.

"Hey..." She heard Cat murmur and she felt a warm furry hand rest on her forearm. "Don't... don't cry, it's okay. Whatever happened, it's just a dream." The feline continued softly, almost pleadingly and she felt the guilt creep up on her. She hated crying, especially in front of them. Hated it with every fiber of her being. The last time she showed that weakness in front of them, they had no idea how to handle it. Figuring that all she'd wanted was comfort, they went on that. But even she didn't know what she wanted this time. She couldn't exactly be reassured. Their imput could very well decide both of their fates. The teen quickly licked her dry lips and sighed. Renee debated telling them about her dream. Or maybe she'd call it a nightmare considering that even remotely thinking about it made her nauseous.

Slowly, the brunette girl lifted her hand and looked at the two brother's that peered at her, both in different levels of concern and worry. Dog was and always would be the sweetheart. His eyes always held the sincerity and loving nature that only a dog could possess. To her, Dog seemed like the type of person that someone would go to for sympathy and to recieve a caring hug to show he cared. She gave the canine a small smile in return when he nudged her hand with his large, purple nose.

Then there was Cat.

The girl switched her gaze to the intellectual brother hesitantly and saw confusion and worry. He looked confused as to why she was sad. Heck, she didn't blame him. Absolutely everything she'd done so far in their presence had caused her nothing but grief. Her making the choice to take them in, her interaction with her sister, Dog bringing up her deceased father, her split second decision to leave (and Cat's quick temper that caused her to take it back), and now her own subconscious fears of them leaving her soon were making her depressed. The blue-eyed teen knew she'd become too attached too quickly and she knew she couldn't do anything about it but let fate run it's course.

Cat's eyes were slightly narrowed, as if he were trying to see into her mind himself, to get past all the uncertainty the situation itself had caused. There was a brief pause as they stared at one another - one in concern, one in apprehension, and the other in slight frustration from all the staring. Renee briefly wondered if Cat already figured out what her dream was about. The young girl knew, looking at the expression on his face, that he knew it had something to do with him and his brother, but he still seemed a bit troubled by her fear. Renee bit her lip. Since it caused her such grief, even if it was just a dream, it probably wasn't a good idea to tell them about it. That would cause unwanted questions that the teenager didn't have the courage to answer. She wouldn't be able to let them go peacefully when the time came to send them back. It would probably turn out like her dream had if she told them now.

Renee just hoped that whatever had made Cat so angry at her in her dream didn't happen in real life. The youngest Maxell girl had got on his bad side once already, she didn't want to do it again and she'd do anything to avoid it in the future. She laid a hand on Dog's head and turned to the feline.

"I'm okay, you guys. Promise."

Cat frowned suspiciously. "I don't know if I believe you."

Renee offered them both a small grin, pushing her fears in the back corner of her mind for the time being. "It was nothing. Just a little night scare, nothing to worry about." The youngest sister of the Maxell sibling's told them and gently hooked her hands under Dog's arms, successfully heaving both him and Cat both back onto her bed. "Now, come on," She addressed their unconvinced looks, Cat's narrowed eyes and Dog's pout, with a laugh. "I have to be up at eight o'clock to clean, so I need to get back to sleep. That means both of you do too, since I don't wanna be hearing your chatting all night." Renee admitted while she tugged both of them down beside her instead of leaving them at the foot of her bed.

"Uhm, Renee, you don't have to, we were fine before," The feline protested with a nervous expression and started shuffling out of the thick blankets she'd drug up over them. But Renee's arm looped around both of them and pulled them back down onto the mattress. She gave them a sheepish grin at Cat's irritated expression and Dog's confused look when they sat up to look down at her simultaneously.

"I know this will probably be weird in the morning, but... do you think you guys can just... sleep up here with me so I won't, y'know, be alone?" She asked, her voice becoming less and less confident when CatDog's expressions turned from blank to surprised realization.

"Terrific." The feline groaned softly under his breath and his chin hit his chest when his head flopped forward in exasperation. Dog swiftly elbowed his brother in the ribs before crawling back toward Renee and nudged her gently with his nose.

"It's okay, Renee. We don't mind, do we, Cat?" The teenager smiled fondly at Dog and hugged him close to her. Cat watched this exchange through squinted eyes before he sighed heavily, making Renee and Dog look at him curiously.

"Okay, okay. We'll be your 'snuggle buddies'," He air-quoted sarcastically with a hint of a grimace at the severely unmanly words. He pointed at her sternly and the girl gazed back in slight amusement. "But only for tonight. There's only so much of this girly stuff a guy can take, you know." Cat grumbled and carefully crawled on the mattress to her open arms, pointedly ignoring their smug expressions. Renee giggled softly and pulled the feline close to her, his head coming to rest on her shoulder with Dog following his example. With the two brothers so close, their even breathing calming her heart, and with their connected body draped over her stomach, she felt more at ease than she cared to admit.

"Thanks, you guys." She murmured contentedly before drifting to sleep.

**xx**

"RENEE MAXELL!" A loud voice screamed from downstairs followed by the heavy stomping of someone coming up into the kitchen. The girl in question cringed, freezing on the spot. Her hand stilled on the vacuum handle and she quickly switched the power off, whipping around to face her enraged mother.

"What? What is it? What happened? I didn't do it, I swear!" Renee squeaked and scurried backwards to avoid the wrath of her mother, the fire burning behind the woman's eyes enough to send their two dogs running for cover. Renee watched them, almost envious that they were able to escape while she couldn't so much as take a step towards her room without being seen or heard. In the corner of the living room, Cassie watched curiously as she continued to dust and wipe down everything visible to the naked eye. The youngest Maxell caught her older sister's gaze with pleading eyes. Cassie blinked and shrugged, completely clueless as to why their mother was in such a rage.

"You didn't do it, huh?" Their mother continued on in angry mutters as she approached her youngest daughter, rustling about the mail in her hands before shoving an envelope inches from Renee's startled expression. "Then explain this, Renee!"

Confused, the girl gently pried the letter from Sonya's angrily trembling hand and pulled the paper from the envelope, unfolding it as she did so. What she saw made her eyes widen in shock. Her blood ran cold and she gulped, turning nervous eyes to her curious sister.

"Uhm…" Renee mumbled as her eyes turned back to the paper, hoping the numbers she was looking at were a joke, or at least in some other currency than American dollars. Anything would be better than facing the bitter reality that the paper in her hands was for her cell phone bill. From yesterday. And apparently unbeknownst to her, she'd gone way past her minutes, talking to someone in Italy, of all places, three times. The same number - for seventy-nine minutes. Stuttering in surprise and shock, Renee lowered the paper to give her mother a disbelieving stare.

"But… Mom, this wasn't me! I swear! I don't even know anybody in Italy! You have to believe me, I –" The girl argued pleadingly but stopped herself. Only one person that she could think of would think of such an act.

Cat.

Renee groaned and slapped her forehead, wishing horrible things upon the feline in her room. She'd definitely make him pay for this later, but right now, she had to deal with her agitated mother. Glancing up warily, she had to wince. If the strict glare was any indication that she was in some deep trouble, then what came out of her mother's mouth would hit the nail on the head.

"Renee, you have crossed the line. From now on, no cell phone for you until you get a job and are able to pay off this bill, young lady. I won't have you lying to me to get out of punishment. Go to your room, and you stay there the rest of the night." Renee blinked in astonishment, her eyes wide. Dropping the vacuum handle, she meekly raised a finger.

"But what about –"

"NOW, I said!" Not needing to be told twice, Renee quickly bowed her head and scrambled up the stairs to get to her safe haven. Coming to a stop outside her closed, and she hoped, locked door, she knocked twice on it softly in sequence. There was a pause before quiet shuffling caught her attention and she held her breath, waiting anxiously for them to open the door.

"Hurry up, you two!" She hissed nervously as she glanced down the hallway, as if expecting her mother to come bounding up the stairs like a raging lunatic. Her heartbeat quickened at the thought and before she knew it, the door cracked open and two pairs of golden furred hands reached out and jerked her into her dimly lit room, sliding the door shut neatly behind her. She grunted in surprise and blinked as her eyes adjusted to what light was in the room. Soon, the abnormal silhouette that was CatDog became clearer and she grinned.

"Thanks, guys." She whispered in appreciation before she remembered why she was forced to her room to begin with. Turning to the feline, she glared and pointed at him. "Okay, you need to apologize." Cat blinked and drew back in surprise.

"What'd I do?" He asked, his eyebrows raised. She growled and noticing she still had the bill in her hands, she shoved it at Cat's arms. She watched as he peered at it closely, his eyes roaming over the numbers as Dog peeked over his brother's shoulder curiously. Almost simultaneously, the connected siblings' eyes widened and they exchanged a guilty glance. Renee waited, her mouth pursed and her eyes narrowed.

"Well?" Renee prompted and she noticed Cat wince, his ears lowering to his skull. With a sigh, he handed her back the paper and scratched the back of his head. He averted his gaze for a few seconds before looking back at her.

"Okay, we –"

"It was Cat's idea!" Dog interrupted hurriedly, pointing at the feline. Cat's eyes widened.

"Hey, hey, hey! Don't blame this whole thing on me! You didn't stop me, y'know!" The canine turned frantic eyes to Renee.

"But you know how Cat is! He's persuasive! I never had a chance!" Cat's eyes narrowed and he clenched his fists.

"Don't talk like you're so innocent, Dog!"

"You guys?" Renee tried to interrupt but was ignored, much to her irritation. "Hey, you guys, keep it down!" The two brothers were practically nose-to-nose, shouting in each other's faces about whose fault it was that she was in so much trouble. Her eyes narrowed and she huffed. "HEY!" The teenager finally screamed before clamping her mouth shut, hoping that her mother wasn't going to come investigate. But taking that risk soon proved to be useful as she saw that they had also taken into account of that probability and clamped their hands over each others' mouths with wide eyes. She sighed and hung her head before shaking it in disbelief.

"Whose idea was it?" She asked, a dull tone to her voice. Cat glanced at Dog before his gaze traveled to the bill still clutched in her hands. He sighed and opened his mouth to speak before Renee interrupted again. "Man, this sucks! Now I'll be condemned to my room, and not only that, I'll have to get a job to pay off that bill so I won't be in debt to my mother!" She moaned as she finally collapsed into the carpet of her floor, startling the two brothers and causing them to scramble backwards to avoid being smushed. "I hate today." She grumbled into the soft fluff of the floor. Cat blinked at her before turning to Dog, who in turn, nodded to the feline.

"Okay, I…" Cat sighed and ran a hand over his ears. Renee raised her head to look at him like a prisoner would look at their executioner. The golden-furred feline forced back a grimace. "I may have…been the one to…talk Dog into it." He admitted reluctantly and grit his teeth before quickly pointing a finger at his brother. "But Dog didn't try to stop me, so he's as much the culprit as I am!" Cat immediately told her and ignored Dog's cry of protest as the feline crossed his arms indignantly.

"Guys, it doesn't matter. It's fine." Renee muttered and sat up, leaning against the side of her bed. "I still don't want to get a job." The brunette grumbled unhappily and sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. Cat shrugged and nudged her playfully.

"Ah, a job isn't that bad." He dismissed offhandedly with a grin. "Plus, if you get a good one, you get a lot of money. Getting a big fat check like that would be the life." Cat rubbed his hands together gleefully at such an idea and Dog rolled his eyes.

"But Cat, you don't have that kind of money. Or that kind of job." The canine protested in confusion making Cat pout angrily at him.

"Yeah, I would if I had Rancid's paycheck." Renee blinked at him as a slow grin crossed her face. A sound similar to a laugh escaped her throat and she shook her head at their curious looks.

"Nothing, it's just... I hadn't realized how much I miss your show on Nickelodeon, is all." She admitted softly. Cat and Dog shared a glance. The domesticated talking cat raised a finger toward her.

"Speaking of that, what kind of show was it? Did it focus on our awesome lifestyle? Were we rich? Did we live in a mansion with a large backyard and expensive clothes and a bunch of maids and butlers to do our bidding?" Cat asked with what looked like diamonds sparkling in his eyes as a big money-hungry grin stretched across his face. Renee and Dog shared a glance.

"Uh... no, you weren't. You both lived in the fish and bone house you do now and it basically just followed your daily lives. With Winslow, with the Greasers, and Lola - everybody in Nearburg was in the show." She told him offhandedly, oblivious to his grin turning into a dissatisfied frown.

"That's it? What kind of show was that?" He asked, sounding almost insulted. "That doesn't sound like a winner to me. We really aren't that entertaining if you ask me. All Dog does is chase garbage trucks and eat anything in sight. I mostly try to be normal." Cat grumbled as his ears lowered to his skull in a dejected manor. Renee found herself itching for comfort him, so she did just that in the only way she knew he'd accept.

By inflating his ego.

"Aw, but Cat, that's not all it was about. Don't you know that a show can't be boring when a cat and a dog are attached at the waist?" She asked as she scooted closer to him and nudged him with her shoulder. He glanced at her in confusion.

"But what does me and Dog sharing the same body have to do with -"

Renee cut him off. "It has to do with everything!" She exclaimed, oblivious to their startled expressions at her sudden enthusiasm. "For one, absolutely _nothing_ was boring when you two were involved. With Dog's hyper and sweet personality and the urge to chase anything that moved, and Cat, your cunning and sly quirks were what made the show so popular back when it was still on the air. It was my favorite show back then, and it still brings back fond memories when I think of it now. The trouble you guys got in, I swear," She chuckled as some of the episodes flashed through her mind. "It was unbelievable how many fangirls you both had too, and I bet nearly two-thirds of them are still true to you guys even today."

Cat and Dog shared a glance with incredulous looks. The feline's expression slowly turned devious as he grinned quite evilly in her direction. She blinked and frowned suspiciously. "I'm not sure I like that look directed at me." Renee muttered self-consciously. Cat merely leaned over until he was directly inches from her face, his nose brushing against hers, before he spoke.

"So... are you a Cat person, or a Dog person?"

**xx**

_"So how goes the housing of the hairball and the dogbreath? Are they dead yet?"_

Renee rolled her eyes in both exasperation and amusement as she cradled her cell phone between her shoulder and her cheek. "Alex, they're fine. I do know how to care for animals, even if they're talking ones."

_"Well, I know how you get, Renee. You have the attention span of a grape. By the way, when can I come see those two nitwits again? I especially want to have a go at the hairball. He's fun to annoy."_

"Geeze, don't you have any other hobbies? So he's easily riled up, it's like you two have that in common."

_"...shut up."_

The youngest Maxell daughter chuckled. "You can come see them now, if you want. Or I could bring them to you, I'm sure they'd love to get out of the house. They've been cooped up for longer than necessary."

There was a pause. _"Gosh, you sound like an overworked mother with toddlers. Okay, fine, bring the weirdos here. My parents aren't home so they won't ask any questions about the odd ones."_

Renee rolled her eyes and sighed. "You know, you really should give them a chance. At least be nice to Dog, he's very sweet once you actually get past the whole... 'talking animal' part."

_"I'm actually not a dog person, no offense. I think that's why I like to rile the hairball. More of a cat person, I guess."_

"Don't let Cat hear that last part, he'll get an even bigger ego." Renee grumbled and glanced at Cat as the two brothers lounging on her bed, completely at ease with her room now. They had taken control over her iPod Touch and were scrolling through what she assumed were her list of songs.

_"Whatever. I'll knock him down a few pegs. By the way, what are you?"_

The copper-haired girl raised an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?" An exasperated sigh followed out of the earpiece.

_"I mean... are you a dog person or a cat person? Because you have two dogs, but you always seemed to take a liking to the hairball, so that's what I mean."_

"Um..." She hummed and glanced nervously at the brothers before whispering into the phone, "You know, Cat asked me the same thing. I think he was looking for something to hold over Dog's head, but I couldn't choose."

_"I bet you could if you had to."_

"See, that's the thing!" She murmured softly as to not attract their attention. "I didn't want to choose Dog over Cat, or Cat over Dog. It's like... wanting a hotdog without ketchup. You can't have one without the other!" Renee reasoned.

_"...That is the strangest thing I've ever heard you say, and you most certainly can. I do all the time. Look, just tell me. You don't have to tell them. What exactly did you tell the hairball and what did you really want to say? And don't lie to me, Renee. I know where you live."_

Renee rolled her eyes. "That threat is null in void because I know where you live, plus I have reliable transportation." She sighed. "I told Cat that I wasn't one or the other, I said I was a CatDog person."

_"Oh my gosh, that's so corny."_

"Shut up." The young Maxell girl groaned. "I actually think I might be a cat person..." She muttered quietly and glared at the reciever when Alex cackled on the other end of the line.

_"I knew you had a soft spot for that furball. Anyway, bring them already. I'm already beginning to wish I hadn't called you."_

Renee grinned. "Okay, sure, see you in a few." She snapped the phone closed and shoved it in her jeans pocket. "Hey guys," She couldn't help but laugh when they simultaneously glanced up. "Wanna get out of the house and visit Alex?"

Cat's eyes narrowed and he smirked. "Who?"

Renee covered her eyes with the palm of her hand. "Alex, my best friend? The one who was with me when I first met you guys, remember?" Dog grinned and began hopping up and down excitedly.

"Ohh, I remember! She was nice, wasn't she, Cat?" He nudged his brother. The feline frowned before he grinned sarcastically.

"Oh _yeah_, she was super nice. In fact, I wanna show her how nice I can get!" He extended his sharp nails and laughed until he saw Renee's deadpan glare. He sobered up, pouting. "Just saying, she could afford to be a little nicer to me, I mean, it's not like I ever did anything to her." He grumbled sourly.

Renee sighed.

Fifteen minutes later, they sat in Renee's car, moving steadily down the road. CatDog were nestled in the backseat, slouched down low so no passing cars would catch a glimpse of them and quite possibly recognize them. Glancing into her rearview mirror, she frowned as she saw them quietly discussing something to themselves. Cat looked a little frustrated and Dog seemed to be arguing against whatever his brother had told him. She didn't know why, but she had a feeling they were talking about how to get home. She knew that's what they'd been talking about when they thought she wasn't paying attention.

The morning she'd asked them to sleep up next to her, she'd woken up to their quiet mumbles. Cat had even mentioned going back to the house to see if there was a way to get back to their homes and she felt a pang of fear and nausea at the comment. Renee grimaced and turned her eyes back to the road.

But it was far too late to pay attention now.

Everything was happening in slow motion. She could see everything as though she'd pressed the frame-by-frame function on her television remote. Renee didn't even have time to scream when she realized she had run a crowded red light intersection. She could only watch in horror when a car, going at the most fifty mph, slammed into the side of her little Sentra. It was a minivan and twice the size of her car. She hoped there wasn't a full family in that car, she wouldn't be able to live with herself if she had caused damage to one of them. She knew their car would obliterate hers and she couldn't do a thing about it. She couldn't even attempt to protect the two brothers in the backseat.

When she thought of that, she felt a spasm of fear and panic. She heard their startled yelps as the car rocketed in the opposite direction and slamming her head hard against her dashboard and nearly choking her with the seatbelt. Renee felt white hot pain blossom in her body, somewhere, but she couldn't pinpoint it. She was more worried about Cat and Dog. Were they alright? Did they have enough sense to duck? Would they be found out now that she'd called so much attention to herself? Everything was beginning to feel fuzzy, she noted, and she forced her eyes open; having closed them right when the impact hit. She could feel hands grabbing at her, trying desperately to pull her from her seatbelt, and with a quick glance, she saw it had been welded to her body. The screaming outside the car was getting closer and police sirens were approaching fast. She could pick out faint sobbing from a woman too, probably the driver of the minivan.

"Renee!"

"Renee, can you hear me?"

Two frantic voices screamed beside her and she slowly was able to recognize them as Cat and Dog. They were alive, she realized. Wincing, she tilted her head back to see Cat hovering over her with Dog nearly in her lap as he was pressing on her stomach. Vaguely, she thought she might be bleeding, and with a quick glance down, saw that the minivan had bent her cardoor so badly that it had brutally inserted itself into her abdomen. It appeared the canine had decided she would be better off without it there and removed it, only to find out it was like opening the dam of a waterfall. Dog looked absolutely terrified, whether it was the sight of so much blood or the fact that she was hurt, she didn't know. Probably both.

"Renee, Renee, look at me." She heard the voice and turned toward it, seeing Cat's wide eyes. She noticed he looked like he'd just been through a beating from the Greaser's. With a bruised eye, a chipped tooth, and what looked to be some fur missing, he seemed relatively okay. She allowed a small smile and reached a shaking hand to brush it against his face.

"Cat... Dog... you're okay..." She whispered. Cat glared at her and grabbed her hand to pull it away.

"Forget about us, you're not okay! You need an ambulance, right now! Dog, how's she looking?" The feline asked desperately. Dog whined from her lap.

"She's still bleeding, Cat, there's not much I can do!" He cried before the sound of someone prying the door off her car alerted their attention. They exchanged panicked glances, obviously torn between hiding or staying by her side. She quickly decided that for them, however.

"Go."

Cat blinked and turned to her. "What?"

"If the cops find you, they'll take you away. I don't want that to happen." She breathed and winced when Dog brought his hands back, allowing the pressure to let up. Cat bit his lip and Dog whined under his breath, nudging her hand.

"But -"

"Hey, ma'am! Can you hear me?" A cop shouted. "Are you alright?"

"Somebody get her out of there! I see blood!"

"Please, Cat." With one hand still holding onto the feline's, she dug into her pocket as best as she could and pulled out her cell phone and handed it to him. Cat glanced at it before looking at her in confusion. "Sneak away from here, call Alex. Tell her what happened. She'll come get you guys for me." Renee murmured and tightened her grip on his hand. Cat opened his mouth to object when the police were finally able to remove her cardoor, allowing the sunlight into the vehicle. He winced and with one last look at Renee, he quickly released her hand and drug Dog and himself back behind the seat so they wouldn't be spotted.

"Cat... I don't wanna leave her." Dog whimpered as Cat stealthily made his way out of the busted car. He made a mad dash for some nearby bushes and sighed in relief when nobody spotted them. Everybody was too busy seeing what was going on than what had just ran across the road. Cat grimaced as they extracted Renee from the driver's seat and saw just how mangled and frail she looked. Her face had a bruise on it - probably from smacking into the steering wheel - and she had passed out as she dangled limply from their grip. Turning away as they loaded her into the ambulance, Cat held up her cell phone and glanced at Dog.

"Well, Dog, we don't have much of a choice, do we? There's not much we can do to help right now except do as she asked. Guess we should... call Alex." Cat muttered. He soon found her name in the contact list. He held the phone up with Dog leaning close with his ear pressed against it as well. After a few rings, Alex picked up, sounding somewhat irritated.

_"Renee, you'd better have a good excuse for not showing up like you said you would -"_

Cat pursed his lips, trying hard not to snap at her. "Alex, it's... it's Cat. Um... c-can you come pick us up?" He asked softly and glanced at Dog.

_"Oh, does the kitty need my help?"_ Alex cooed over the phone.__

Cat bristled and felt Dog tense next to him. "Yes, actually, and so does Renee. She just had a severe car accident and she was hurt badly. Before she got carted off, she asked me to call you to come pick me and Dog up. Any more questions or snarky comments?"

When a stunned silence answered him, he felt a small sense of satisfaction even if it wasn't justified. "I didn't think so."

**xx**

A/N: Boy, this chapter has all kinds of drama, doesn't it? AMG. I'm not sure I like this chapter. Was it too much? I think I overdid the drama here, geeze. I knew I wanted something like this to happen, but I'm not too sure I wanted it to be as... bloody. Maybe I'll change it later if someone doesn't like it and I'll make it more... child-friendly. It took me all of two months to type up and even still, it was just a bunch of ideas I'd thought up one day at work and decided to go with. Hope nobody's forgotten about this story yet, I haven't abandoned it!

Um... enjoy, I hope.

Disclaimer: I don't own CatDog!


	6. The Hospital

**That Fateful Night****  
**By **The Sole Survivor  
I proudly present CHAPTER SIX  
ENJOY.**

xx

"Cat... do you think this is our fault?"

"I... I don't know, Dog." The feline whispered back. Dog blinked back tears and wrung his hands together.

"What if she doesn't make it?" He whimpered. "What if it _is_ our fault that this happened? We completely ruined her life -"

"Dog, don't be absurd." Cat snapped softly. "She... she'll make it out of this. They got her to the hospital right after it happened. And..." He paused as his gaze lowered to the dirt they were sitting on. "After we find out she's okay, we'll say our goodbyes, and go back to that house she says we came out of to see if we can go home. Does that sound like a good plan to you?" He murmured and looked back at his brother.

Dog's eyes were wide and tears were streaming down his cheeks, but in response to his brother's suggestion, he nodded solemnly. To them, it was the best choice in the matter for helping Renee get back to a normal life. Cat was worried that them being there was disrupting her daily routine and he didn't want her doing anything else for them.

His golden furred ears were lowered against his skull as he thought about Renee. What on earth was she doing before she wrecked? She hadn't been paying attention to the road, so what was she looking at? He was concerned but also a little miffed at her.

What was so important that it took her full attention?

"Cat, I think that's Alex." Raising his head slightly, he caught side of a white car pulling up beside the bush they were crouched in. The scene of the accident had long been cleared out, Renee's car had been towed, the family of the van that had impacted with her car was driven away with near minimal damage, and traffic had progressed normally. The car's door opened as Alex stepped out of the car, looking as inconspicuous as she could despite the circumstances. She quickly shuffled to the side of the road, her eyes roaming the bushes with purpose.

"Guess we should go to her, Cat." Dog whispered and began to slide out of the protection of the shrubbery. Cat sighed in resignation and followed. As soon as Alex spotted them, she quickly opened the back door of her car and gestured to it with her eyes. Nodding, Dog's eyes narrowed in concentration before he took a running sprint toward his target while Cat flailed helplessly behind him. They landed dead center in the backseat and scrambled to hide from curious eyes as Alex slammed it shut, got in the driver's seat herself, and continued to speed away.

As soon as they got going down the road, Alex finally spoke. "So, mind telling me _exactly_ what happened, _hairball_?" She asked, her voice eerily calm and borderline dangerous. She was worried sick for her friend, but also extremely angry at the two in the backseat. She knew it just had something to do with them. Renee had only ever been in two wrecks her whole life - she was a very careful driver.

So why had Renee wrecked?

Glancing in the rearview mirror, she saw Cat had glanced up at the nickname and sighed, his gaze lowering to the floorboard of the car. He opened his mouth to speak but Dog beat him to it.

"Renee got hurt really bad." Dog interrupted softly, his eyes filling with tears again as he thought about Renee and how much pain she must've been in. But to their surprise, Alex gave them a deadpan look.

"I _know_ she's hurt, you guys, tell me _how_ she got hurt." The girl emphasized and pointedly glared at Cat. The feline sighed and angrily turned his eyes to the window, avoiding her icy gaze.

"Look, we don't know the full story either. We were just driving to your house and all of a sudden there was this van that ran straight into her. The next thing we knew, Renee was pinned to the car door after being hit, and she gave me her cell to call you to come get us. We don't know why she wrecked." He explained and his ears lowered slightly as he retold what happened. Alex pulled to a stop at a red light and eyed him suspiciously.

"That's it? You weren't paying attention to what she was doing? What were you guys doing back there, sleeping?" She scoffed before her eyes popped open in surprise as something just occured to her. "Of all the... I can't believe she would do that..." Alex grumbled and Dog turned to her in confusion.

"What?" He asked. Cat glanced at his brother before looking at Alex with narrowed eyes, not liking the tone of her voice. Alex smacked her hand on the steering wheel in frustration. The light turned green and she slammed her foot on the gas.

"She wrecked because she wasn't paying attention." She told them and Cat raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, we gathered that." He retorted sarcastically. Alex shot him a glare before continuing.

"Think about it, _kitty cat_. She's been doting on you two since you got here. She was in love with you guys for the longest time. And _you_ were in the backseat of her car. Why do you _think_ she wasn't paying attention?" She snapped harshly and pursed her lips together. There was silence from the back of the car for a few seconds.

"But..." She heard Dog whisper and Cat inhaled sharply, his pupils turning into tiny pinpricks as it dawned on him. "So, she wasn't paying attention to the road because -"

"She was looking at us." Cat finished for him softly, his voice low as he struggled not to choke on the sudden lump in his throat. "She got in a wreck because she was..." He trailed off and grimaced as his eyes began burning with tears. He looked at Dog in shame and saw his brother already had tears trailing down his cheeks.

"So... I guess it was our fault." Dog murmured. Cat furiously blinked back tears and clenched his fists together.

"That _idiot_..." He hissed softly to himself.

It took them a few moments, but they finally noticed the car had stopped and Alex was turned around in the driver's seat watching them with a neutral expression. She tilted her head slightly before getting out of the car and jumping in beside them in the backseat, her face still carefully composed. Cat inched away from her, wary of her sudden proximity.

"What are you up to?" He asked suspiciously. She ignored him.

Slowly, she raised her arms, one by one, and held them out to the conjoined brothers. Cat's eyes widened in surprise and Dog glanced from his brother to Alex, hesitance clear in his eyes. Alex showed no sign of anger or impatience but merely waved her hands to herself and allowing the smallest of smiles to grace her face. That was all it took for Dog to lose his self control and launch himself at her. He wrapped his arms around her stomach, his head coming to rest on her belly as he openly sobbed.

Cat watched as Alex closed her eyes and wrapped an arm around Dog's shoulders, holding him close to her for comfort. So that's what she was doing. Since Renee wasn't there, Alex probably felt she had to fill that void somehow while she was in the hospital. Cat glanced away awkwardly and rubbed at his arm. He had a problem with showing affection to Renee since he was afraid of becoming too attached, what made Alex think he was just going to curl up next to her that easily?

"It's okay, Dog..." Alex's soft voice cut through Cat's thoughts and he refocused his attention on the two of them. "I promise Renee will be alright. She's a strong girl and she has two wonderful friends like you guys who care about her. And she's got a best friend like me to watch out for her furry pals until she wakes up." She murmured to the canine, but opened her eyes and made eye contact with Cat as the last sentence left her lips.

Cat looked down as he turned away. He crossed his arms securely across his chest as if to block out everything around him. He didn't want to hear sentimental things and get upset. He was stronger than that. He wasn't a cry-baby like his brother, he was going to prove that he was -

"Cat, I know you must be breaking apart on the inside. Just come here." Alex's soft voice cut through his heart and made it clench. The fact she'd finally said his name didn't even register to him at the moment. He took in a deep breath and released it in a shaky sigh. He glanced up at the girl and bit his lip.

"But I..." He began as he looked down at his brother, who was still burying his face in her shirt and staining it with his tears. Without warning, a hand snatched his wrist and tugged him foward. He held in a gasp as he collided with a warm shoulder. An equally warm arm wrapped around him and held him there. He felt himself grow limp in her hold as he tried to blink back a few tears that were quickly trying to escape.

"Stop being such a stubborn kitty cat and just hold me." She snapped gently in his ear and he found himself complying as he obediently wrapped his arms around her neck and gazed solemnly out the window from over her shoulder. He remained silent as she continued.

"I'm worried about her too, you know." Alex murmured and rubbed her cheek comfortingly in the soft fur of Cat's neck. "She's my best friend. She's like my sister, in a way. We've been friends for the longest time. We can talk for hours about_ nothing_ and still feel like it isn't enough time." She took in a deep breath and rubbed her hand soothingly over Dog's ears when she noticed he had leaned back to look at her as she spoke.

"You and Renee are really close, aren't you?" Dog asked softly with a small smile. Alex blinked at him before snorting in response.

"If by close, you mean joined at the hip? Then yes." She paused and frowned as she glanced at their conjoined body. "Well, uh, figuratively speaking, not literally." She added as she averted her eyes awkwardly.

Cat rolled his eyes and Dog snorted in amusement.

**xx**

Beep. Beep. Beep. __

Ahhh... what happened? Where am I?

Beep. Beep. Beep.

_I don't really remember going to sleep. What time is it?_

Renee groaned and struggled to pry her eyes open. As soon as the bright light above her burned her eyes, she quickly shut them. _Okay... that hurt. I don't need to open them just yet, do I? No. _

A door opening and shutting gathered her attention and she raised her eyebrows slightly, trying to get her normal body functions back. Or what she remembered of them.

"Oh, darling, you're awake!" A cheerful voice exclaimed and she hummed in response. She felt as though she'd been hit by a bus. A dull pain was throbbing in her stomach and her head was pounding. She moved slightly and found out she was lying on a slightly uncomfortable bed with thin sheets and a flat pillow. She raised her hands and felt around her body, eyes still closed. Thick bandages were wrapped securely around her stomach and forehead.

"Oh, honey, do be careful with those. You're still healing." The voice continued and Renee grimaced. Healing? Why would she need to heal? She didn't remember even needing medical attention, let alone ever being in danger. Finally deciding she needed to open her eyes, she narrowed her eyebrows together tightly and cracked open an eye to glance around her warily.

She was in a hospital.

Well, that explained the beeping heart monitor, the bandages on her head and stomach, and the young brunette nurse standing beside her gurney watching her closely. The young woman's name tag read Susan.

"Uhh..." Renee uttered and cringed when her head ached in response. Susan the Nurse tilted her head in concern and reached up to fiddle with the bandage on her head before gently pulling at the bandage wrapped around her belly.

"I'm sorry, sweetie. I know this must be hurting you. Would you like some painkillers?" Renee nodded weakly and smiled to show her thanks. Susan the Nurse nodded and quickly left the room to retrieve her pills. Once alone, she sighed and held a hand to her head, her expression troubled.

She remembered CatDog being in her car, driving to Alex's house, and then nothing. Everything went black after that. Were Cat and Dog alright? How did she end up here? Was her mind blocking it from her memories to protect her? Was it something traumatic? It had to have been if she was in the hospital because of it. Renee's eyebrows furrowed as she stared in concentration at her hands, trying to remember.

She gently rubbed her thumb over her middle and index fingers, her eyes following the movement. "I touched something soft..." She mumbled to herself and held a hand to her cheek. There was something vaguely familiar about the gesture and she wracked her brain to remember why.

Renee sighed as her hand fell from her face and she moved her gaze to the gauze wrapped around her stomach. It was slightly stained with her blood and in her curiosity, she poked it. A sharp pain made her jerk her hand away immediately as if she'd touched a burning stove.

"Okay, not my best idea." She murmured and sighed as she laid her head back down on the pillow before a sudden knock on the door brought it right back up. Interested in who was coming to visit her, she smiled and scooted so she could sit up better.

"Come in!" She called hoarsely. She coughed and cleared her throat as the door opened.

"Well, I didn't think you'd ever wake up." A very familiar voice called and Renee froze, her head whipping around to see Alex standing in the doorway with what looked like a very heavy duffle bag resting beside the door frame. Renee's expression instantly brightened and she grinned at her best friend.

"Alex!" She cried but paused when her friend continued to struggle with the bag, kicking and shoving it into the room until it was out of reach of the door. Alex clicked it shut with her heel. Renee watched this in confusion.

"Um... what's going on?" She scratched at the bandages on her stomach and tilted her head. Once Alex had bodily lifted the bag onto the foot of Renee's bed, she huffed and grinned.

"Well, I couldn't possibly risk anyone coming in and seeing anything, oh, I don't know, out of the ordinary." Alex's grin widened at the surprised expression on her friend's face before unzipping the bag. As soon as she did, two heads popped out of the bag like in a Jack-in-the-Box, their arms held high in the air and big grins on their faces.

"Renee!" Cat and Dog shouted in unison as they scrambled out of the bag and over to Renee's shocked and frozen form. They threw their arms around her shoulders simultaneously and squeezed her gently.

"We missed you, Renee!" Dog cried. "We're so glad you're okay!"

"Yeah, Alex has been a nightmare!" Cat added and sent the girl a nasty grin. Alex's grin tightened.

"You haven't exactly been a cake walk either, furball." She retorted and walked quickly to Renee's side, easily ignoring Cat's scoff. "Well, what do you think? Were you surprised?" She asked and nudged her friend's shoulder gently. She was very surprised. And very overwhelmed.

As soon as she'd laid eyes on the two brothers, and after having heard their voices again, everything was suddenly there. The accident, the blood, their panicked voices, her telling them to leave her there... It all came rushing back. Her eyes widened as the memories flooded through her.

_"Renee, can you hear me?"_

"Renee, Renee, look at me."

"Cat... Dog... you're okay..."

"You need an ambulance, right now! Dog, how's she looking?"

"She's still bleeding, Cat, there's not much I can do!"

"Somebody get her out of there! I see blood!"

As soon as the echoing voices had started, they'd stopped. Her chest heaving, Renee looked at each one in turn before she felt hot tears pooling in the corners of her eyes. They quickly slid down her cheeks and she let out a choked sob.

"O-oh my g-g-go-gosh..." Renee stuttered and very nearly collapsed in their hold.

Cat and Dog immediately released her as if burned, their faces hesitant. They glanced at Alex uncertainly but found the girl to be giving her friend a knowing grin. She slid an arm around Renee's shoulders and hugged her softly.

"I know, I know. It's okay." She murmured to the crying girl.

"I just... I've been so worried about them..." Renee choked out. Cat blinked and averted his gaze awkwardly while Dog smiled and crawled to her on his belly, his eyes searching for her tear-soaked ones. Once their gazes met, Renee opened her arms at the same time that Dog latched onto her midsection above her bandages, hugging her tightly. She buried her face into the top of his head.

"I'm so glad you guys are okay." She whispered fiercely. Cat's ears lowered.

"We're glad _you're_ okay, Renee." Dog whimpered and nuzzled her gently. "We were worried about _you_." Cat grit his teeth and finally opened his mouth.

"You're an idiot."

The statement was met with an eerie silence. Slowly, Renee's grip slackened on Dog and she raised her eyes to meet Cat's steely gaze. Dog, knowing what Cat was about to do, crawled away from Renee and sat on the bed close to Alex as she in turn glanced at him before returning her wide eyes back to her friend. The feline clenched his fists tightly at his sides and didn't move an inch as he stared her down.

Renee flinched as if she'd been struck. Despite her pitiful state, Cat's eyes narrowed in his obvious frustration.

"What were you thinking back there?" He began sternly as he set his fists on his hips.

"I-I was just..." She began softly as her eyebrows curled up.

"Do... Do you have any idea how worried we were? How worried _I_ was? I-I..." Cat cringed when his voice cracked. Renee blinked up at him curiously before it dawned on her what was about to happen and she smiled softly. "I-I can't believe you would do this to yourself. It's c-completely idiotic and...and just not something you should be doing ever, ever, ever, ever again... and..." Cat continued to ramble even when Renee pushed enough of the sheets covering her legs away so she could pull them out and began to scoot the small distance to the flustered feline.

Once she was near enough to him, she reached out and gently pulled him into a firm embrace, abruptly silencing him as she locked her arms under his shoulders snugly. Her chin came to rest on the curve of his furry neck and she buried her face into it as she held him. "Shhhh, it's okay, Cat. I'm fine, I'll be okay." She murmured soothingly to him as she felt him shaking despite his best efforts.

"I-I... You...and we..." Cat whimpered softly as hot tears began pooling in the corners of his eyes. He stared out over her shoulder for a few more agonizing seconds before he completely broke down. He wrapped his stiff arms around her back tightly and lowered his head until it was hidden by her shoulder, finally giving in to the lump that had been growing in the back of his throat since the accident.

"I don't know about you," Alex began slowly and Dog turned to her out of curiosity from the tone of her voice and found her to be on the verge of tears herself. "But I think my heart just broke a little bit." She whispered and sniffed as she wiped her eyes. Dog smiled slightly at her and pat her on the back comfortingly.

"Cat," Renee murmured into his neck softly to get his attention as she gently stroked his back. "You don't have to worry about me when you guys go back home." She whispered. The only indication she knew Cat heard her was his ear twitching in her direction to show he was listening.

"I know that's what you guys have been talking about when you think I'm not listening."

"But we -" The feline tried to interrupt but she quickly continued.

"And that's okay, I'm completely fine with that now." The more she spoke, the more she realized it was true. She _would_ be okay with them going home. She would still have the memories of her time with them and she would treasure them forever. She felt Cat take a deep breath and let it out slowly. It blew over her shoulder and caused goosebumps to appear on her arm.

"We had discussed going back to that house to see if we could go home after we made sure you were okay." Cat whispered into her shoulder. His forehead was resting against her shoulder for support. His arms had slackened considerably but Renee kept her hold on him, not wanting to let him go just yet.

Renee opened her eyes as she peered over his shoulder. "When are you going?" She murmured. Cat's mouth set into a grim line.

"After we leave here." As soon as he said the words, he felt her arms tense. She released her hold on him and leaned back to look at his face. He quickly let go as well and prepared for the worst but was surprised, when he looked at her, to see her giving him a hard expression. His eyebrows rose.

"...What?" He asked after a minute of the staredown.

"You were going by yourselves?" Renee asked him as she squinted her eyes. "You were going to leave me in a hospital while you guys went to a creepy, abandoned place on your own? Without saying goodbye?" Cat's gaze shifted to Dog, looking a lot like he was pleading for help, but his brother merely grinned and rolled his eyes skyward in amusement. Cat frowned and his eyes narrowed.

"Traitor." The feline muttered and sighed before turning back to the injured girl. "Look, Renee, we were coming here to see if you were okay and to say our goodbyes. We figured you needed your rest and wouldn't want to come with us anyway -"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute." Renee interrupted sternly and held up a hand for emphasis. Cat immediately clamped his mouth shut with wide eyes. "If you guys think I'm gonna be fine with just sending you off to that house by yourselves -"

"Well, Alex was gonna drop us off actually -" Dog added quietly.

"- while I just sit in a hospital bed not knowing if you made it home or not, then you've definitely got another thing coming." She told them with a frown and she crossed her arms. Cat face-palmed and groaned.

"Oh come on, I thought you said you'd be fine with us leaving."

"Yeah, while I was seeing you off. Not sitting in a hospital bed across town, wondering if you guys would have your memories of this place or not as soon as you got back." Renee retorted sharply. Cat blinked and his eyebrows slowly rose in surprise. Renee, realizing what she'd said, widened her eyes and looked away. Cat watched her before he sighed and rubbed the top of his head between his ears.

"So that's what's bothering you." The feline muttered and he set his hands on the mattress, leaning toward her as he eyed her face. "You're worried we won't remember you." Alex groaned.

"Come on, you guys. How long are you gonna chit-chat? I thought the drama was behind us already." She complained and stomped over to the chair directly beside the gurney. She plopped down into it and scowled at all of their suprised expressions. "Go on, have another moment. But this had better be the last one."

Renee rolled her eyes. "Well, Alex, if you'd like to go visit the cafeteria while you wait, you're free to do so." Alex shook her head soundly.

"I'm too lazy to go wandering around this place. I'll just wait here. Don't mind me." Renee sighed and leaned her head against her pillow.

"Okay, I'll make it quick." She muttered and turned her eyes back to Cat, and then Dog, who had been sitting quietly the entire time. He quickly smiled at her and she returned it before she opened her arms and gestured the canine to come to her. He grinned and shuffled his way to her open embrace as she wrapped her arms around him gently. She ran her hands over his back as he buried his face in her chest before turning back to Cat, who was watching her closely. She looked down.

"...Aren't you?" She asked softly, answering his earlier question. Cat chewed on his lip as he thought about it.

"Of course we're worried we won't remember." He said and ran a hand over his ears. "I'm not sure what would happen though, to be honest, since our home is so much different from yours." Renee released a heavy sigh and buried her face in the top of Dog's head. Seconds later, the canine opened his eyes and looked up at her in concern.

"Why are you sad, Renee?" He murmured gently. The injured girl swallowed and opened her eyes, her forehead still resting on Dog's ears.

"Because I-I want to be there w-when you guys go home." She said, shakily but resolutely. Raising her head slightly, she gave Cat a determined look. "I want it to be a happy memory. For all of us." Cat eyed her carefully, trying to see her true motives if she had any, but by the tears pooling in the corner of her eyes he honestly figured that _was_ her true motive. He sighed and gestured to Dog.

"Dog, we need to discuss this. Come here." Cat called and gave Renee a small smile as Dog disintangled himself from her hold and bounced over to his brother. They huddled together and began whispering to each other softly. Renee glanced at her friend and raised an eyebrow. Alex blinked and tilted her head in confusion. The girl on the gurney shook her head with an amused smile and leaned back against the flat pillow. She raised her arms above her head and stretched gently, wondering just when Susan the Nurse was gonna -

Then there was a knock on the door.

Renee's eyes widened, Cat and Dog shot up like they'd been jabbed with a sharp stick, and Alex blinked in confusion.

"Who could that be?" She asked. Renee whipped around to face her.

"The nurse! Hide them!" She yelped softly and gestured to CatDog. Alex frowned.

"Why do I have to?" She argued.

"Because you were the one who brought them in here!" Renee panicked. The two brother's, however, were way ahead of her. Cat held up one end of her covers and Dog dove under it with the feline not far behind him. Soon as they were in, Cat flung the covers over them with a grin and a thumbs up in her direction before his hand disappeared.

"Okay, dear, I've got your medicine if you'd still like some." A familiar cheery voice called as the door to her room opened. Susan glanced inside and saw Renee sitting straight up, staring her way with wide eyes, as a visitor sat next to her in the chair with a wide grin. They both watched her with rapt attention and seemed completely suspicious, but she smiled at them and strolled into the room. There was a large duffle bag perched at the foot of her bed and a large lump under the girl's covers. She had her hands pressed firmly against the mound of covers for a reason the nurse couldn't identify.

Susan eyed it but otherwise completely ignored the atmosphere and grinned at her. "How are you feeling, honey? I've brought you your painkillers, finally. I'm sorry it took so long but I got held up helping the doctor on another floor." She gave the tiny plastic cup with two pills in it to Renee and she took it with a trembling hand.

"Thank you, miss." She muttered and quickly threw the pills into her mouth and chased them with the water sitting beside her bed. Susan grinned at her.

"Good girl. Now, if you need me, you know what button to push -"

"Um, 'scuse me?" A tentative voice called out to her. Susan the Nurse turned to see Renee's visitor smiling at her.

"Yes, what can I do for you, sweetie?" Alex glanced at Renee as she got off the bed and walked around it to stand before the nurse.

"Well, I was just wondering how long Renee will have to be in the hospital. She has... stuff to do and people to see. You know, that sort of thing." Alex told her and wrung her hands together. Susan blinked before she smiled.

"Oh, honey, your friend will be out soon enough. Just until tomorrow so those stitches can heal completely and we know they won't be infected. Press that button if you need me, dear." With that, she turned and briskly walked out of the room, closing the door shut behind her.

Inside the room, Alex turned to give Renee a shrug. "Well, there you have it." Renee sighed and grabbed the covers. She held them up as the two brother's crawled out, looking perplexed. Cat turned to gaze at Renee the same time she turned to him.

"So. I won't get out of here until tomorrow." She muttered. Cat frowned.

"At least it's not that long." Alex added, hoping that would lessen the wait. Renee chewed on her lip.

"But it's still _tomorrow_ and they're wanting to leave _today_..." The girl groaned and reclined back on her pillow. She put her hands over her eyes and pouted until an idea occurred to her. She snapped up into a sitting position and grinned as her hands fell from her eyes. "What if I left today too?"

Alex, Dog, and Cat blinked at her in confusion.

"Then you'd be breaking out of a hospital." Alex told her dully. Renee's grin widened.

"Exactly."

**xx**

A/N: Ooooh boy this is long. At least it looks long on the Wordpad. I really had no clue where to take this chapter. Everything in this story has been done on a whim, a spur of the moment decision. None of it is planned out when I decide to write a chapter for it. But believe me when I say that this story is coming to an end. The next chapter, or the one after that, shall be the last one. Depends on what happens when I begin to write it out.

Not that I don't like this story, I'd just really like to complete it and move on. I keep getting ideas and losing them. lol Well, uh, at least the story is progressing a bit.

Enjoy and thanks for those who've read so far! I really appreciate all of your kind reviews! Until next time!

_**Disclaimer**__**: I do not, nor do I ever, own CatDog in any way, shape, or form. **_


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